Language Tips
Polish is quite a tricky language to master for the English tongue but do not worry! Most people in Poland speak English, especially the younger generation as it is compulsory to learn a foreign language from primary school - with English being the most commonly taught.
That being said, knowing how to pronounce some of our letters, digraphs and trigraphs may come in useful during your stay.
Polish Alphabet
The Polish Alphabet is 32 letters long but there is no Q, V or X at all!
No, we have not got our numbers wrong… and don’t worry there is not any ‘new’ letters… the remaining letters are made up of accents!
Our Groom has picked out some of the ones you are more likely to stumble upon when he was using Duo Lingo.
We would recommend to give Duo Lingo app a go for learning any language if you want to learn the basics!
Letter Swaps!
Just to confuse you a little…
J - In Poland these are pronounced as a Y
W - Probably the most well know swap, these are pronounced with a V. We are staying in Wisła (Vis-wa) and Vodka is Vodka still…. not ‘Wod-ka’.
Ł - Just to confuse you further is like an English W (as in we, what, when).
Don’t worry the other letters are made up by accents…
Polish Diagraphs
Our groom found these very useful as just as in English some words come together to make a particular sound!
Ci - Is like an English Ch like Cheek (more of a ‘chi’ sound)
Cz - Is just like an Ch like Church (more of a ‘chuh’ sound)
Dz - Is like a ds like ‘goods’
Rz - Is like an S when used in ‘Treasure’
Sz - Is just like an Sh for ‘shark’ or ‘shoe’
Zi - Is like a G when used in ‘Gel’
Useful Words and Phrases
Just some of the basics to get you started…
Greetings & Manners:
Hello: Cześć (che-shch)
Yes: Tak (tahk)
No: Nie (nyeh)
Good morning: Dzień dobry (dzyen doh-bri)
Good evening: Dobry wieczór (doh-bri vyeh-choor)
Goodnight: Dobranoc (doh-brah-nots)
Thank you: Dziękuję (dzyen-koo-yeh)
Please: Proszę (proh-sheh)
Wedding Related:
Wedding: Ślub (shloob)
Bride: Panna młoda (pah-nah mwaw-da)
Groom: Pan młody (pan mwaw-dy)
Bride and groom: Młoda para (mwaw-da pah-rah)
Wedding cake: Tort weselny (tort veh-sehl-ni)
Congratulations: Gratulacje (gra-too-la-tsyeh)
Food:
Food: Jedzenie (yeh-dzeh-nyeh)
Meal: Posiłek (poh-sih-wek)
Breakfast: Śniadanie (shnyah-dah-nyeh)
Lunch: Obiad (oh-byahd)
Dinner: Kolacja (koh-lahts-yah)
I'm a vegetarian: Jestem wegetarianinem (yes-tem veh-geh-tah-ryah-neen-em)
I have allergies: Mam alergie (mahm ah-lehr-gyeh)
Vegetarian: Wegetarianin (veh-geh-tah-ryah-neen)
Vegan: Weganin (veh-gah-neen)
Gluten-free: Bezglutenowy (behz-gloo-teh-noh-vi)
Dairy-free: Bez laktozy (behz lahk-toh-zi)
Drink:
Cheers!: Na zdrowie! (na zdroh-vyeh)
Water: Woda (voh-dah)
Coffee: Kawa (kah-vah)
Tea: Herbata (hehr-bah-tah)
Wine: Wino (vee-noh)
Beer: Piwo (pee-voh)
Vodka: Wodka
Useful Phrases:
Do you speak English?: Czy mówisz po angielsku? (chi moo-vish poh ahn-gyehl-skoo)
I do not speak Polish: "Nie mowię po polsku" (nyeh moo-vyeh poh pohl-skoo)
May I have the bill, please?: Czy mogę prosić rachunek? (chi moh-geh proh-seesh ra-hoo-nek?)
Taxi: Taxi (tahk-see)
Airport: Lotnisko (loht-nees-koh)
Hotel: Hotel (hoh-tehl)
Room: Pokój (poh-koy)
Hotel: Hotel (hoh-tehl)
Room: Pokój (poh-koy)
Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi (vee-fee)
Polite Expressions:
Excuse me: Przepraszam (psheh-prah-sham)
I'm sorry: Przepraszam (psheh-prah-sham)
(Both the same word!)
You're welcome: Nie ma sprawy (nyeh mah sproh-vee)
Thank you very much: Bardzo dziękuję (bar-dzoh dzyen-koo-yeh)
You look beautiful: Wyglądasz pięknie (vih-gwahn-dash pyehk-nyeh)
You look handsome: Wyglądasz przystojnie (vih-gwahn-dash pshees-toh-yeh)
I love it: Kocham to (koh-hahm toh)