How to Ask for Clarification

Learn how to ask for clarification

Dialogue

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Vocabulary

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Lesson Transcript

Welcome to Can-Do Polish by PolishPod101.com.

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to ask for clarification in Polish.

For example, "Can you repeat it?" is

Przepraszam, czy możesz powtórzyć?

Kaja Kowalski meets her neighbor, Damian Dabrowski , for the first time in the lobby of their building.

Damian introduces himself but Kaja can’t catch his name and asks for clarification.

Before you hear the conversation, let's preview some of its key components,

Powtórzyć.

"repeat"

Powtórzyć.

Miło mi, jestem Damian.

Przepraszam, czy możesz powtórzyć?

Jestem Damian.

Once more with the English translation.

Miło mi, jestem Damian.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Damian."

Przepraszam, czy możesz powtórzyć?

"Excuse me, can you repeat that?"

Jestem Damian.

"I’m Damian."

Let's break down the conversation.

Do you remember how Damian introduces himself?

"Nice to meet you. I'm Damian."

Miło mi, jestem Damian.

First is miło mi, literally, "Pleases me," but translates as "Nice to meet you." Miło mi. Miło mi.

This expression can be used in many contexts and is appropriate for both formal and informal situations.

Next is Jestem Damian, "I’m Damian."

First is jestem, "I am." Jestem. Jestem.

Note, here jestem is a shortened form of ja jestem, "I am." In Polish, ja, "I," is usually omitted.

Jestem is from the verb, być, "to be." Być.

Next is the name, Damian. "Damian". Damian.

Note: Damian only uses his given name. Kaja and Damian are young adults in an informal situation, so he only uses his given name.

Together, it’s Jestem Damian, "I'm Damian." Jestem Damian.

All together, it’s Miło mi, jestem Damian. "Nice to meet you. I'm Damian."

Damian Dąbrowski : Miło mi, jestem Damian.

Kaja can’t catch his name.

Do you remember how she asks,

"Excuse me. Can you repeat that?"

Przepraszam, czy możesz powtórzyć?

First is Przepraszam, "Excuse me." Przepraszam. Przepraszam.

Next is czy, something like "whether," as in "whether you can repeat that," in this context. Czy. Czy.

Note: there is no corresponding English translation here.

Next is możesz, "you can," as in "you are able". Możesz. Możesz.

Note: "you" is understood from the context.

Możesz is from the verb, móc, "to be able." Móc.

Next is powtórzyć, "repeat." Powtórzyć. Powtórzyć.

Powtórzyć is a verb, meaning "to repeat," in its infinitive form.

Together, czy możesz powtórzyć? literally means, "whether you can repeat," but translates as, "can you repeat that?" Czy możesz powtórzyć?

All together, Przepraszam, czy możesz powtórzyć? "Excuse me, can you repeat that?"

Przepraszam, czy możesz powtórzyć?

Note: "that" is added to the translation so that the English sounds more natural, but there is no corresponding word in the Polish question.

Finally, do you remember how Damian says,

"I’m Damian."

Hint, you’ve heard it before.

Jestem Damian.

Jestem Damian. "I’m Damian."

In this lesson, you learned how to ask for clarification in an informal situation:

Przepraszam, czy możesz powtórzyć?

"Excuse me, can repeat that?"

To ask for clarification in a formal situation:

When addressing a man,

Przepraszam, czy może pan powtórzyć?

Możesz, "you can," is replaced with może pan, literally, "Mr. can," but translates as "you can," when addressing a man. Może pan.

When addressing a woman,

Przepraszam, czy może pani powtórzyć?

Możesz, "you can," is replaced with może pani, literally, "Mrs. can," but translates as "you can," when addressing a woman. Może pani.

Remember these phrases, you’ll need them later in the lesson.

Let’s look at the expressions once more. First you will hear informal expressions, followed by their formal counterparts.

Listen and repeat.

Przepraszam.

"Excuse me."

Przepraszam.

Czy możesz powtórzyć?

"Can you repeat?"

Czy możesz powtórzyć?

Przepraszam, czy możesz powtórzyć?

"Excuse me, can you repeat that?"

Przepraszam, czy możesz powtórzyć?

Czy może pan powtórzyć?

"Can you repeat?"

Czy może pani powtórzyć?

Przepraszam, czy może pan powtórzyć?

"Excuse me, can you repeat?"

Przepraszam, czy może pan powtórzyć?

Nie zrozumiałem.

"I didn't understand."

Nie zrozumiałem.

Czy możesz mówić wolniej?

"Can you speak more slowly?"

Czy możesz mówić wolniej?

Did you notice the new expressions?

Nie zrozumiałem.

Nie zrozumiałem. "I didn’t understand."

Nie zrozumiałem. translates as "I didn’t understand." Nie zrozumiałem.

Note, the speaker is male. For female speakers, it’s not the same. Use zrozumiałam.

Nie zrozumiałam. "I didn’t understand." Nie zrozumiałam.

Zrozumiałem is from the verb, zrozumieć, meaning "to understand." Zrozumieć.

Nie zrozumiałam.

"I didn’t understand." Nie zrozumiałam.

Next is

Czy możesz mówić wolniej? "Can you speak slower?" Czy możesz mówić wolniej?

First is czy, meaning something like "whether" in this context. Czy.

Next is możesz, "you can." Możesz. Możesz.

After this is mówić, "speak." Mówić. Mówić.

Finally, wolniej, "slower." Wolniej. Wolniej.

All together, Czy możesz mówić wolniej? "Can you speak slower?" Czy możesz mówić wolniej?

Remember this, you’ll need it later in the lesson.

Let’s review the key vocabulary.

Mówić.

"speak."

Mówić.

Wolniej.

"slower."

Wolniej.

Let's review.

Respond to the prompts by speaking aloud. Then repeat after the native speaker, focusing on pronunciation.

Ready?

Do you remember the informal way to say,

"Excuse me."

Przepraszam.

And how to say "repeat?"

Powtórzyć.

Do you remember how Kaja asks,

"Excuse me, can you repeat that?"

Remember she uses informal Polish.

Przepraszam, czy możesz powtórzyć?

Can you remember how to say,

"Nice to meet you."

Miło mi.

And do you remember how Damian says,

"Nice to meet you. I’m Damian."

Miło mi, jestem Damian.

Do you remember how to say, "speak?"

Mówić.

And how to say, "more slowly?"

Wolniej.

Do you remember how to say,

"Can you speak more slowly?"

Czy możesz mówić wolniej?

And the formal way to address a woman?

Pani.

Let's practice.

Imagine you're Konrad Kowalski. Damian introduces himself, but you can’t catch his name. Ask him to repeat it using informal Polish.

Ready?

Miło mi, jestem Damian.

Przepraszam, czy możesz powtórzyć?

Listen again and repeat.

Przepraszam, czy możesz powtórzyć?

Let’s try another.

Imagine you're Damian. Karolina Kowalski introduces herself, but you can't catch her name. Use formal Polish.

Ready?

Miło mi, jestem Karolina.

Przepraszam, czy może pani powtórzyć?

Listen again and repeat.

Przepraszam, czy może pani powtórzyć?

Let’s try one more.

Imagine you're Damian. Ask Kaja Kowalski to speak slower.

Ready?

Miło mi. Jestem Kaja.

Przepraszam, czy możesz mówić wolniej?

Listen again and repeat.

Przepraszam, czy możesz mówić wolniej?

Well done! This is the end of this lesson.

In this lesson, you learned how to ask for clarification in Polish. This plays an essential role in the larger skill of getting clarification on things when you're speaking Polish.

Remember, these Can Do lessons are about learning practical language skills.

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