Polish at the council and other offices

Registration, forms, a ticket number and a signature: Polish for offices and authorities, step by step.

34 sentences · 2 dialogues · 15 words

Why this field

If you move to Poland, work there or rent a flat, you cannot avoid the offices. A lot can be done online now, but at the counter it helps to understand the question and to ask one of your own.

Office language is formal and repetitive: who, what, which document, which signature, by when. With the polite conditional (chciałbym, chciałabym, “I would like”) and a handful of set words you get a long way.

What you will be able to do

Goals by level. Tick what you can already do — the tick stays in this browser only.

A1I can give my name, my address and where I come from.
A1I can say that I don’t understand and ask someone to repeat it.
A2I can ask about opening hours, appointments and the documents I need.
B1I can make an application and ask what is still missing.
B1I can request a certificate and sort out who may collect it.

Core vocabulary

15 words from the word lists, ordered by level. A coloured edge shows what you have already practised.

paszportpassportA1
adresaddressA1
urządoffice (public), authorityA2
terminappointment, date; deadlineA2
dokumentdocumentA2
dowód osobistyidentity cardA2
formularzformB1
wniosekapplication; conclusionB1
podpissignatureB1
zameldowanieregistration (of address)B1
opłatafee, chargeB1
zaświadczeniecertificateB1
kopiacopyB1
numerek(queue) number, ticketB1
okienkocounter, windowB1

Practise as flashcards Card box Mixed round

Typical situations

Short dialogues to read along and repeat. Say one part first, then the other.

When are you open?

You ring the council office and ask when you can come in.

Clerk
Urząd, dzień dobry. Słucham.Council office, good morning. How can I help?
Caller
Dzień dobry. Kiedy urząd jest czynny?Good morning. When is the office open?
Clerk
Od poniedziałku do piątku, rano i po południu.Monday to Friday, mornings and afternoons.
Caller
Czy muszę się umówić na termin?Do I need to make an appointment?
Clerk
Nie, ale proszę przyjść wcześnie, bo jest długa kolejka.No, but please come early, because there’s a long queue.
Caller
Jakie dokumenty mam przynieść?Which documents should I bring?
Clerk
Paszport albo dowód osobisty.Your passport or your identity card.
Caller
Dziękuję bardzo. Do widzenia!Thank you very much. Goodbye!

A certificate

Your employer needs a certificate showing that you are registered at your address.

Applicant
Dzień dobry. Potrzebuję zaświadczenia o zameldowaniu.Good morning. I need a certificate of registration.
Clerk
Proszę wypełnić ten formularz i podpisać na dole.Please fill in this form and sign at the bottom.
Applicant
Czy jest jakaś opłata?Is there a fee?
Clerk
Tak, opłatę można zapłacić kartą tutaj w okienku.Yes, you can pay the fee by card here at the counter.
Applicant
Kiedy zaświadczenie będzie gotowe?When will the certificate be ready?
Clerk
Zwykle za kilka dni. Przyślemy je pocztą albo może pani przyjść po nie osobiście.Usually in a few days. We’ll post it to you, or you can collect it in person.
Applicant
Czy mój mąż mógłby przyjść po nie zamiast mnie?Could my husband collect it instead of me?
Clerk
Tak, jeśli będzie miał pani upoważnienie.Yes, if he has your written authorisation.

Sentences to say aloud

The label says where a sentence belongs. The speaker next to it reads it aloud.

Dzień dobry, mam pytanie.Good morning, I have a question.
A1polite
Gdzie jest pokój numer pięć?Where is room number five?
A1neutral
Mam na imię Anna, a nazywam się Becker.My first name is Anna, and my surname is Becker.
A1neutral mam na imię for the first name, nazywam się for the surname. English uses “my name is” for both.
To jest mój adres.This is my address.
A1neutral
Proszę, to jest mój paszport.Here you are, this is my passport.
A1neutral
Nie rozumiem. Proszę powtórzyć.I don’t understand. Could you repeat that, please?
A1polite
Czy pani mówi po niemiecku?Do you speak German?
A1polite
Jestem z Niemiec.I’m from Germany.
A1neutral Niemcy, Germany, is a plural; “from” is z with the genitive plural: z Niemiec. Britain is simpler: z Wielkiej Brytanii.
Mieszkam tutaj od roku.I have been living here for a year.
A1neutral
Proszę, tu jest mój numer telefonu.Here you are, this is my phone number.
A1neutral
Przepraszam, gdzie jest toaleta?Excuse me, where are the toilets?
A1polite
Muszę iść do urzędu.I have to go to the council office.
A2neutral
Czy muszę się umówić na termin?Do I need to make an appointment?
A2neutral
Jakie dokumenty muszę przynieść?Which documents do I need to bring?
A2neutral
Mam dowód osobisty i paszport.I have an identity card and a passport.
A2neutral
Urząd jest czynny od poniedziałku do piątku.The office is open Monday to Friday.
A2neutral “From … to” is od … do, both with the genitive.
Przepraszam, czy pan stoi w kolejce?Excuse me, are you in the queue?
A2polite
Nie mam przy sobie paszportu.I haven’t got my passport on me.
A2neutral After a negative, the genitive: paszport → paszportu.
Czy mogę zapłacić kartą?Can I pay by card?
A2neutral
Proszę mi powiedzieć, co mam teraz zrobić.Please tell me what I should do now.
A2polite
Kiedy dokument będzie gotowy?When will the document be ready?
A2neutral
Przyszedłem na spotkanie o drugiej.I’ve come for the two o’clock appointment.
A2neutral A man says przyszedłem, a woman przyszłam: the Polish past tense shows who is speaking.
Chciałbym złożyć wniosek o zameldowanie.I would like to apply to register my address.
B1formal A woman says chciałabym.
Formularz trzeba wypełnić drukowanymi literami.The form has to be filled in in block capitals.
B1neutral
Do wniosku potrzebna jest kopia paszportu.The application needs a copy of your passport.
B1neutral
Ile wynosi opłata?How much is the fee?
B1neutral
Potrzebuję zaświadczenia o zameldowaniu.I need a certificate of registration.
B1neutral potrzebować takes the genitive: zaświadczenia.
Brakuje jeszcze pani podpisu.Your signature is still missing.
B1polite
Proszę wziąć numerek i usiąść w poczekalni.Please take a ticket and sit in the waiting room.
B1polite
Decyzja przyjdzie pocztą za kilka tygodni.The decision will come by post in a few weeks.
B1neutral
Czy żona może przyjść po dokument z moim upoważnieniem?Can my wife collect the document with my authorisation?
B1neutral
Mój paszport jest już nieważny.My passport has expired.
B1neutral
Gdyby czegoś brakowało, zadzwonimy do pana.Should anything be missing, we’ll ring you.
B1formal
Wnioski przyjmuje okienko numer trzy.Applications are taken at counter number three.
B1neutral

What matters here

In an office everyone is pan or pani; a letter opens with Szanowni Państwo (“Dear Sir or Madam”) and closes with Z poważaniem (“Yours faithfully”).
panpaniSzanowni PaństwoZ poważaniem
In many offices you take a ticket (numerek) and wait until it comes up at a counter (okienko).
numerekokienko
Forms are often filled in in capital letters: drukowanymi literami, “in block capitals”.
What is required is marked obowiązkowy.
drukowanymi literamiobowiązkowy
Which documents an office asks for changes and depends on the case.
These sentences are examples of the language, not advice — always ask the office itself.

Quick quiz

6 questions on the words and sentences of this field. The word questions count in your progress like any other exercise.

Try it yourself

Read the meaning, say the sentence aloud in Polish, then open it to compare.

Good morning, I have a question.
Dzień dobry, mam pytanie.
I have been living here for a year.
Mieszkam tutaj od roku.
Excuse me, are you in the queue?
Przepraszam, czy pan stoi w kolejce?
The application needs a copy of your passport.
Do wniosku potrzebna jest kopia paszportu.

Keep learning

The grammar behind it

Word lists that go with it

Reading texts

Reading texts on this topic (3)

Practise

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Every sentence on this page was written for EveryLingua. There are no quotations from films, series, books or songs here, and no titles or names of artists — the page shows how people talk in this field, not what somebody once said.