The 20 Polish phrases to learn first
| Polish | English | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Dzień dobry. | Good morning / Good afternoon. | neutral-polite greeting |
| Dobry wieczór. | Good evening. | polite evening greeting |
| Cześć. | Hi / Bye. | casual |
| Do widzenia. | Goodbye. | neutral-polite |
| Dziękuję. | Thank you. | works broadly |
| Proszę. | Please / Here you are / You're welcome. | meaning comes from context |
| Przepraszam. | Excuse me / I am sorry. | attention or apology |
| Tak / Nie. | Yes / No. | basic response |
| Nie rozumiem. | I do not understand. | communication repair |
| Proszę powtórzyć. | Please repeat. | polite/formal request |
| Czy mówi pan/pani po angielsku? | Do you speak English? | formal |
| Mówię trochę po polsku. | I speak a little Polish. | sets expectations |
| Jak się pan/pani nazywa? | What is your name? | formal |
| Nazywam się… | My name is… | introduction |
| Gdzie jest toaleta? | Where is the toilet? | location |
| Ile to kosztuje? | How much does this cost? | shopping |
| Poproszę to. | I will have this, please. | ordering/buying |
| Czy mogę zapłacić kartą? | Can I pay by card? | payment |
| Potrzebuję pomocy. | I need help. | urgent or practical |
| Nie wiem. | I do not know. | honest response |
Greetings and goodbyes: match the relationship
Use Dzień dobry with adult strangers, staff, officials, neighbors you address formally, and professional contacts. Cześć is for friends, peers who have established informal address, and many relaxed social situations.
Do widzenia is the standard polite goodbye. Do zobaczenia means see you, while Dobranoc is said when parting for the night or before sleep, not as a general evening greeting.
| Situation | Opening | Closing |
|---|---|---|
| shop, clinic, office | Dzień dobry. | Do widzenia. |
| evening event | Dobry wieczór. | Do widzenia. |
| friend or established peer | Cześć! | Cześć! / Na razie! |
| parting until a known future meeting | — | Do zobaczenia. |
| bedtime or late-night parting | — | Dobranoc. |
Thanks, please, apologies, and polite attention
Dziękuję is the safest general thank-you. Dzięki is casual. Bardzo dziękuję adds warmth or emphasis. Proszę has several social jobs: please, here you are, go ahead, and you're welcome.
Use Przepraszam to get attention, pass through a crowd, or apologize. Proszę mi wybaczyć is more formal and stronger, while Nic nie szkodzi reassures someone that no harm was done.
| Function | Polish | Likely reply |
|---|---|---|
| thank | Dziękuję bardzo. | Proszę. |
| casual thanks | Dzięki! | Nie ma za co. / Spoko. |
| ask politely | Proszę o pomoc. | Oczywiście. |
| get attention | Przepraszam… | Tak? |
| apologize | Przepraszam za spóźnienie. | Nic nie szkodzi. |
Introduce yourself without overusing ty
Say Nazywam się… or Mam na imię… to give your name. In formal conversation, ask Jak się pan nazywa? or Jak się pani nazywa? Pan and pani take third-person verbs.
Miło mi means nice to meet you. A fuller formal reply is Miło mi pana poznać to a man, Miło mi panią poznać to a woman, and Miło mi państwa poznać to a group.
| Speaker | Polish | English |
|---|---|---|
| A | Dzień dobry. Nazywam się Noah. | Good morning. My name is Noah. |
| B | Dzień dobry. Jestem Anna Kowalska. | Good morning. I am Anna Kowalska. |
| A | Miło mi panią poznać. | It is nice to meet you. |
| B | Mnie również. | Likewise / Me too. |
Repair a conversation when Polish gets too fast
Conversation repair is a core skill, not a failure. Say Nie rozumiem, Proszę mówić wolniej, or Proszę powtórzyć. To check one word, ask Co znaczy…? or Jak to się mówi po polsku?
If you need English, ask Czy mówi pan po angielsku? or Czy mówi pani po angielsku? In an informal relationship, Czy mówisz po angielsku? uses ty.
| Need | Polish |
|---|---|
| I do not understand. | Nie rozumiem. |
| Please speak more slowly. | Proszę mówić wolniej. |
| Please repeat. | Proszę powtórzyć. |
| What does this mean? | Co to znaczy? |
| How do you say this in Polish? | Jak to się mówi po polsku? |
| Could you write it down? | Czy może pan/pani to zapisać? |
Food, cafés, and restaurants
Poproszę is a polite, efficient way to order: Poproszę kawę. You can also say Proszę kawę, although Poproszę clearly presents the order as a request.
Use bez + genitive for without, z + instrumental for with, and dla + genitive for for: bez cukru, z mlekiem, dla mnie.
| Polish | English |
|---|---|
| Poproszę kawę z mlekiem. | A coffee with milk, please. |
| Dla mnie pierogi ruskie. | For me, pierogi ruskie. |
| Czy to jest wegetariańskie? | Is this vegetarian? |
| Bez cukru, proszę. | Without sugar, please. |
| Czy mogę prosić o rachunek? | Could I have the bill? |
| To wszystko, dziękuję. | That is all, thank you. |
Shopping, tickets, and payment
Learn phrases you may hear as well as phrases you say. The cashier may ask Karta czy gotówka? and Czy wydrukować paragon?
| Polish | English | Grammar note |
|---|---|---|
| Ile to kosztuje? | How much does this cost? | ile asks quantity/price |
| Poproszę jeden bilet. | One ticket, please. | bilet is the requested object |
| Czy ma pan/pani mniejszy rozmiar? | Do you have a smaller size? | formal third-person verb |
| Tylko oglądam, dziękuję. | I am just looking, thank you. | polite refusal of help |
| Czy mogę zapłacić kartą? | Can I pay by card? | kartą is instrumental |
| Czy potrzebny jest paragon? | Is a receipt needed? | a phrase staff may ask |
Directions and public transport
| Polish | English |
|---|---|
| Przepraszam, gdzie jest dworzec? | Excuse me, where is the station? |
| Jak dojść do centrum? | How do I walk to the center? |
| Jak dojechać na lotnisko? | How do I get to the airport by transport? |
| Czy ten tramwaj jedzie na Stare Miasto? | Does this tram go to the Old Town? |
| Na którym przystanku mam wysiąść? | At which stop should I get off? |
| Proszę mi powiedzieć, kiedy wysiąść. | Please tell me when to get off. |
Help, health, and urgent situations
For immediate danger, call 112 in Poland. Use Potrzebuję pomocy for I need help and Proszę wezwać karetkę for Please call an ambulance.
Keep medical phrases literal and specific. Mam alergię na penicylinę means I am allergic to penicillin; Boli mnie brzuch means my stomach hurts.
| Polish | English |
|---|---|
| Pomocy! | Help! |
| Proszę zadzwonić pod numer 112. | Please call 112. |
| Proszę wezwać karetkę. | Please call an ambulance. |
| Potrzebuję lekarza. | I need a doctor. |
| Boli mnie tutaj. | It hurts here. |
| Mam alergię na… | I am allergic to… |
How to learn phrases so they survive a real conversation
- Say the Polish phrase before looking at the answer.
- Learn one likely reply and one follow-up question with every opener.
- Mark each phrase formal, neutral-polite, or casual.
- Swap one detail at a time: kawę, herbatę, wodę; kartą, gotówką.
- Record yourself and compare stress, consonants, and vowel quality.
- Review phrases by situation rather than as one alphabetized list.
Test what you just learned
Answer before revealing the Polish, or play the hidden answer as a listening check. Mark anything uncertain for another pass; mistakes here are useful information, not a score.
Good morning / Good afternoon.
Dzień dobry.
A safe neutral-polite greeting.
Thank you very much.
Bardzo dziękuję.
Works in formal and informal contexts.
Please speak more slowly.
Proszę mówić wolniej.
A polite infinitive request.
A coffee with milk, please.
Poproszę kawę z mlekiem.
Z takes instrumental for accompaniment.
Where is the station?
Gdzie jest dworzec?
Gdzie asks about location.
I need help.
Potrzebuję pomocy.
Potrzebować takes genitive.
Round complete
0 of 6 checks felt secure. Run the set again and try to answer the uncertain ones before revealing them.
Playback uses your browser's Polish voice unless a reviewed recording is available.
Example Polish practice
Dzień dobry.
A safe neutral-polite greeting.
Bardzo dziękuję.
Works in formal and informal contexts.
Proszę mówić wolniej.
A polite infinitive request.
Poproszę kawę z mlekiem.
Z takes instrumental for accompaniment.
Gdzie jest dworzec?
Gdzie asks about location.
Potrzebuję pomocy.
Potrzebować takes genitive.
Audio uses your browser's Polish voice unless a reviewed recording is available.
FAQ
What are the most important Polish phrases for beginners?
Start with Dzień dobry, Do widzenia, Dziękuję, Proszę, Przepraszam, Nie rozumiem, Proszę powtórzyć, Gdzie jest…?, Ile to kosztuje?, and Potrzebuję pomocy.
Is cześć formal or informal?
It is casual. Use Dzień dobry with adult strangers, officials, staff, and professional contacts unless an informal relationship has been established.
What does proszę mean?
Depending on context it can mean please, here you are, go ahead, or you're welcome. The surrounding exchange identifies the function.
How do I ask someone to speak slowly in Polish?
Say Proszę mówić wolniej. You can also say Nie rozumiem, proszę powtórzyć: I do not understand, please repeat.
How do I order politely in Polish?
Use Poproszę plus an accusative object: Poproszę kawę. Add proszę at the end of a short specification such as Bez cukru, proszę.
Should I learn Polish phrases without grammar?
Learn the complete phrase first, then notice the reusable pattern. A small amount of grammar helps you change the phrase without guessing endings.
Sources and editorial standard
Factual and instructional claims are checked against relevant educational, dictionary, institutional, product, or research sources. Examples are written for learners and are reviewed separately from the cited source text.