A1 · 45 words

Food and drink in Polish

Breakfast, lunch and supper, what is on the table and how to order it.

Practise this list

From these 45 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

One word gets you a long way at the table: poproszę “I’d like, please”, followed by the dish in the accusative — poproszę kawę, poproszę zupę. With quantities and after nie the genitive follows: szklanka wody “a glass of water”, nie jem mięsa. There is no “some” and no “a”: Jem chleb is “I am eating bread”. And obiad is not a quick lunch but the hot main meal, which in Poland often comes in the afternoon.

The words

Verb (3)

jeśćto eatVerbA1

Co jesz na śniadanie?What do you have for breakfast?

imperfective; perfective: zjeść. Irregular: jem, jesz, je, jemy, jecie, jedzą.

Conjugation of jeść →

pićto drinkVerbA1

Piję dużo wody.I drink a lot of water.

imperfective; perfective: wypić. piję, pijesz.

Conjugation of pić →

gotowaćto cookVerbA1

Mój mąż dobrze gotuje.My husband is a good cook.

imperfective; perfective: ugotować. gotuję, gotujesz.

Conjugation of gotować →

Noun (2)

lodyice creamNounA1

Latem jemy dużo lodów.In summer we eat a lot of ice cream.

Plural: lody is ice cream to eat; ice is lód.

pierogipierogi (filled dumplings)NounA1

Moje ulubione danie to pierogi ruskie.My favourite dish is pierogi with potato and cheese.

Mostly plural; one is pieróg.

Adjective (2)

głodnyhungryAdjectiveA1

Jestem głodny, zjemy coś?I’m hungry, shall we eat something?

As in English you “are” hungry: jestem głodny, a woman says głodna.

smacznytasty, deliciousAdjectiveA1

To ciasto jest bardzo smaczne.This cake is really delicious.

Noun (m) (14)

chlebbreadNoun (m)A1

Na śniadanie jem chleb z masłem.For breakfast I have bread and butter.

masculine, inanimate. Genitive chleba: kawałek chleba “a piece of bread”.

sercheeseNoun (m)A1

Kupuję ser i szynkę na kanapki.I’m buying cheese and ham for sandwiches.

masculine, inanimate. Genitive sera.

sokjuiceNoun (m)A1

Dziecko pije sok pomarańczowy.The child is drinking orange juice.

masculine, inanimate. Genitive soku.

cukiersugarNoun (m)A1

Pijesz kawę z cukrem?Do you take sugar in your coffee?

masculine, inanimate. The e drops: cukru, z cukrem.

kurczakchickenNoun (m)A1

Na obiad jest kurczak z ryżem.For lunch there’s chicken and rice.

masculine, animate — even on the plate: jem kurczaka.

ziemniakpotatoNoun (m)A1

Obieram ziemniaki na obiad.I’m peeling potatoes for lunch.

masculine, inanimate. Mostly plural: ziemniaki.

ryżriceNoun (m)A1

Ryż gotuje się dwadzieścia minut.Rice takes twenty minutes to cook.

masculine, inanimate. Genitive ryżu.

makaronpasta, noodlesNoun (m)A1

Dzieci lubią makaron z serem.Children like pasta with cheese.

masculine, inanimate. One word in the singular for all pasta — not “macaroni” only.

owocfruit (a piece of fruit)Noun (m)A1

Jem dużo owoców.I eat a lot of fruit.

masculine, inanimate. The plural owoce means “fruit” in general.

bananbananaNoun (m)A1

Banany są dzisiaj tanie.Bananas are cheap today.

masculine, inanimate. In speech often treated as animate: zjeść banana.

pomidortomatoNoun (m)A1

Kroję pomidory do sałatki.I’m cutting up tomatoes for the salad.

masculine, inanimate.

ogórekcucumberNoun (m)A1

Ogórki są z ogrodu babci.The cucumbers are from Gran’s garden.

masculine, inanimate. The e drops: ogórka, ogórki. Pickled ones are ogórki kiszone.

obiadlunch, dinner (main meal)Noun (m)A1

Obiad jemy o czternastej.We have lunch at two p.m.

masculine, inanimate. The hot main meal, in Poland often in the afternoon.

kubekmugNoun (m)A1

Mój kubek stoi na biurku.My mug is on the desk.

masculine, inanimate. A mug without a saucer; the e drops: kubka.

Noun (f) (14)

bułkabread rollNoun (f)A1

Poproszę cztery bułki.Four rolls, please.

szynkahamNoun (f)A1

Poproszę trochę szynki.A little ham, please.

wodawaterNoun (f)A1

Poproszę wodę bez gazu.Still water, please.

kawacoffeeNoun (f)A1

Idziemy na kawę?Shall we go for a coffee?

herbatateaNoun (f)A1

Wieczorem piję herbatę z cytryną.In the evening I drink tea with lemon.

Poles usually drink it black, often with lemon; milk is something you ask for.

sólsaltNoun (f)A1

Podasz mi sól?Can you pass me the salt?

Feminine. ó becomes o: genitive soli.

rybafishNoun (f)A1

W piątek jemy rybę.On Friday we eat fish.

zupasoupNoun (f)A1

Zimą często gotuję zupę.In winter I often make soup.

cebulaonionNoun (f)A1

Potrzebuję jednej cebuli do zupy.I need one onion for the soup.

sałatkasalad (dish)Noun (f)A1

Robię sałatkę z ogórków i pomidorów.I’m making a cucumber and tomato salad.

The prepared dish; lettuce itself is sałata.

czekoladachocolateNoun (f)A1

Lubię gorzką czekoladę.I like dark chocolate.

kolacjasupper, evening mealNoun (f)A1

Na kolację jemy kanapki.For supper we have sandwiches.

szklankaglass (for drinking)Noun (f)A1

Poproszę szklankę wody.A glass of water, please.

A drinking glass; the material is szkło.

butelkabottleNoun (f)A1

Kupuję dwie butelki wina.I’m buying two bottles of wine.

Noun (n) (10)

masłobutterNoun (n)A1

Kupuję masło i mleko.I’m buying butter and milk.

jajkoeggNoun (n)A1

Rano jem jajko na miękko.In the morning I have a soft-boiled egg.

mlekomilkNoun (n)A1

Piję kawę bez mleka.I drink coffee without milk.

piwobeerNoun (n)A1

Poproszę jedno piwo.One beer, please.

winowineNoun (n)A1

Do kolacji pijemy czerwone wino.With supper we drink red wine.

mięsomeatNoun (n)A1

Mój brat nie je mięsa.My brother doesn’t eat meat.

warzywovegetableNoun (n)A1

Kupuję warzywa na targu.I buy vegetables at the market.

Mostly plural: warzywa.

jabłkoappleNoun (n)A1

To jabłko jest bardzo słodkie.This apple is very sweet.

Genitive plural jabłek.

ciastocake; dough, pastryNoun (n)A1

Do kawy jemy ciasto z jabłkami.With our coffee we have apple cake.

śniadaniebreakfastNoun (n)A1

Jem śniadanie o siódmej.I have breakfast at seven.

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This list belongs to Food and drink — five lists and 190 words that can also be practised as a whole.

Hear and recognise these words in the listening trainer