Useful Polish Phrases for Travelers
Greetings, restaurants, shopping, transport, your stay, emergencies and food questions - with an easy way to say each phrase.
Published
Many people who work in tourism in Zakopane speak English, especially younger staff. Older people, drivers and small shops may not. A few Polish words go a long way - and a polite "Dzień dobry" when you walk in is always noticed. The pronunciation guides below are simplified; the stressed syllable is in capitals.
How Polish sounds
- w sounds like English "v"; ł sounds like "w".
- sz is "sh", cz is "ch", rz and ż are like the "s" in "measure".
- ś, ć, ź (or si, ci, zi) are softer versions of sh, ch and zh.
- ę and ą are nasal, a bit like "en" and "on".
- The stress is almost always on the second-to-last syllable.
Greetings and basics
- Dzień dobry - Hello / Good day - jen DOB-ri
- Dobry wieczór - Good evening - DOB-ri VYEH-choor
- Do widzenia - Goodbye - doh vee-DZEN-ya
- Dziękuję - Thank you - jen-KOO-yeh
- Proszę - Please / Here you are - PRO-sheh
- Przepraszam - Excuse me / Sorry - psheh-PRA-sham
- Tak / Nie - Yes / No - tahk / nyeh
- Nie rozumiem - I don't understand - nyeh ro-ZOO-myem
- Czy mówi pan / pani po angielsku? - Do you speak English? (to a man / to a woman) - chi MOO-vee pan / PA-nee po an-GYEL-skoo
In a restaurant
- Stolik dla czterech osób, proszę - A table for four, please - STO-leek dla CHTEH-rekh O-soob, PRO-sheh
- Poproszę menu - The menu, please - po-PRO-sheh MEH-noo
- Woda niegazowana - Still water - VO-da nye-ga-zo-VA-na
- Rachunek, proszę - The bill, please - ra-HOO-nek, PRO-sheh
- Smacznego! - Enjoy your meal! - smach-NEH-go
Halal and dietary questions
- Czy to jest halal? - Is this halal? - chi toh yest ha-LAL
- Czy to zawiera wieprzowinę? - Does this contain pork? - chi toh za-VYEH-ra vyep-sho-VEE-neh
- Nie jem wieprzowiny - I don't eat pork - nyeh yem vyep-sho-VEE-ni
- Bez wieprzowiny, proszę - Without pork, please - bez vyep-sho-VEE-ni, PRO-sheh
- Czy jest w tym alkohol? - Is there alcohol in it? - chi yest f tim al-KO-hol
- Jestem uczulony / uczulona na... - I'm allergic to... (man / woman) - YES-tem oo-choo-LO-ni / oo-choo-LO-na na
For what these answers mean on our site, read Halal Food in Zakopane.
Shopping
- Ile to kosztuje? - How much does it cost? - EE-leh toh kosh-TOO-yeh
- Czy mogę zapłacić kartą? - Can I pay by card? - chi MO-geh za-PWA-cheech KAR-tom
- Otwarte / Zamknięte - Open / Closed - ot-FAR-teh / zam-KNYEN-teh
- Torba - Bag - TOR-ba
Getting around
- Gdzie jest...? - Where is...? - gjeh yest
- dworzec autobusowy - bus station - DVO-zhets ow-to-boo-SO-vi
- dworzec kolejowy - train station - DVO-zhets ko-leh-YO-vi
- lotnisko - airport - lot-NEES-ko
- Proszę zadzwonić po taksówkę - Please call a taxi - PRO-sheh zad-ZVO-neech po tak-SOOF-keh
- Ile kosztuje kurs do...? - How much is the ride to...? - EE-leh kosh-TOO-yeh koors do
At your accommodation
- Mam rezerwację - I have a reservation - mam re-zer-VA-tsyeh
- Jakie jest hasło do Wi-Fi? - What is the Wi-Fi password? - YA-kyeh yest HA-swo do WEE-fee
- Nie działa ogrzewanie - The heating doesn't work - nyeh JA-wa og-zheh-VA-nyeh
- Gdzie mogę zaparkować? - Where can I park? - gjeh MO-geh za-par-KO-vach
With the family
- Krzesełko dla dziecka - High chair - kshe-SEW-ko dla JETS-ka
- Gdzie jest toaleta? - Where is the toilet? - gjeh yest to-a-LEH-ta
- Przewijak - Baby changing table - psheh-VEE-yak
Emergencies
- Pomocy! - Help! - po-MO-tsi
- Proszę wezwać karetkę - Please call an ambulance - PRO-sheh VEZ-vach ka-RET-keh
- Gdzie jest apteka? - Where is the pharmacy? - gjeh yest ap-TEH-ka
- Potrzebuję lekarza - I need a doctor - pot-sheh-BOO-yeh leh-KA-zha
- Zgubiłem się / Zgubiłam się - I'm lost (man / woman) - zgoo-BEE-wem sheh / zgoo-BEE-wam sheh
In an emergency, call 112 - operators can usually connect you with someone who speaks English. In the mountains, call the mountain rescue on 985 or +48 601 100 300.