A1 · 43 words
Greetings and politeness in Polish
The words every conversation begins and ends with.
Practise this list
From these 43 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.
More about this list
This list will not let you tell a story yet, but you can greet somebody, introduce yourself, say thank you and leave politely. On day one there is a choice English never asks you to make: first-name terms or formal. Friends get ty; strangers get pan (to a man) or pani (to a woman), and the verb then goes into the third person: Jak się pan ma? is literally “How is the gentleman?”. And dzień dobry works from morning till evening; there is no separate “good morning” or “good afternoon”.
The words
Verb (1)
nazywać sięto be calledVerbA1
imperfective, no partner. With the full name or the surname; for the first name alone people prefer mam na imię.
Noun (1)
NiemcyGermanyNounA1
Plural only, like “the Netherlands”: w Niemczech, do Niemiec. The same word also means “Germans”.
Adjective (2)
polskiPolishAdjectiveA1
Written with a small letter, like every adjective of origin — unlike English “Polish”.
niemieckiGermanAdjectiveA1
Adverb (2)
dobrzewell, fineAdverbA1
The adverb of dobry. Asked how you are, you answer dobrze, like English “well”, not with the adjective.
świetniegreat, excellentAdverbA1
Exclamation (9)
cześćhi; byeExclamationA1
Only between people on first-name terms — for hello and for goodbye.
dobranocgood nightExclamationA1
Written as one word, and only when somebody is going to bed.
dziękujęthank youExclamationA1
Literally “I thank”. Several people say dziękujemy.
dziękithanksExclamationA1
Among friends. As a preposition dzięki means “thanks to”.
przepraszamexcuse me; sorryExclamationA1
For getting somebody’s attention and for apologising. Literally “I beg pardon”.
hejhey, hiExclamationA1
witajwelcomeExclamationA1
To one person on first-name terms. To several or formally: witamy.
smacznegoenjoy your mealExclamationA1
English has no everyday equivalent; Poles say it before every meal, like French “bon appétit”.
powodzeniagood luckExclamationA1
Phrase (21)
dzień dobrygood morning, good afternoon, helloPhraseA1
From morning until early evening, also when you walk into a shop. There is no separate “good morning”.
dobry wieczórgood eveningPhraseA1
Only as a greeting. To say goodbye in the evening, use do widzenia or dobranoc.
do widzeniagoodbyePhraseA1
The polite goodbye — in shops, offices and on the phone.
na raziesee you, bye for nowPhraseA1
Casual, among friends. Literally “for the moment”.
do jutrasee you tomorrowPhraseA1
do zobaczeniasee you, goodbyePhraseA1
When you really will see each other again. Fine with ty and with pan, pani.
nie ma za coyou’re welcome, don’t mention itPhraseA1
Literally “there is nothing for which”.
jak się maszhow are youPhraseA1
To somebody you are on first-name terms with. Formally: Jak się pan ma?, Jak się pani ma?
co słychaćwhat’s new, how are thingsPhraseA1
Literally “what is to be heard”. Nobody expects a long answer.
tak sobieso-so, not badPhraseA1
w porządkuall right, OKPhraseA1
mam na imięmy name is (first name)PhraseA1
Literally “I have as a name”. The question: Jak masz na imię?
miło minice to meet youPhraseA1
When you are introduced. A little more formal: bardzo mi miło.
zapraszamplease come in; I invite youPhraseA1
Literally “I invite”. It asks somebody in, to the table or to the counter — “next, please”.
na zdrowiecheers; bless youPhraseA1
When raising a glass and when somebody sneezes. Literally “to health”.
wszystkiego najlepszegoall the best, happy birthdayPhraseA1
przykro miI’m sorryPhraseA1
For regret. For an apology przepraszam is enough.
nie rozumiemI don’t understandPhraseA1
proszę powtórzyćcould you repeat that, pleasePhraseA1
proszę with an infinitive is the polite request to somebody you address formally.
po polskuin PolishPhraseA1
Languages after mówić always look like this: po polsku, po niemiecku, po angielsku — no capital letter.
po niemieckuin GermanPhraseA1
Particle (3)
proszęplease; here you areParticleA1
When asking, when handing something over and in answer to “thank you”. It is also “I ask” from prosić.
takyesParticleA1
Also “so, like this”: tak samo means “the same way”.
nieno; notParticleA1
One word for “no” and “not”. As “not” it goes straight before the verb, and the object moves into the genitive: nie piję kawy.
Noun (n) (2)
imięfirst nameNoun (n)A1
Genitive imienia, plural imiona.
nazwiskosurnameNoun (n)A1
A false friend of sorts: it is not “name” but “surname”.
Noun (f) (1)
PolskaPolandNoun (f)A1
Locative w Polsce, direction do Polski.
Noun (m) (1)
języklanguage; tongueNoun (m)A1
masculine, inanimate. Genitive języka.
This list belongs to Greeting, talking, giving opinions — six lists and 261 words that can also be practised as a whole.