Let's Learn Polish! 20 Must-Know Phrases
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Multigotki, photo: Andrzej Sidor/Forum
Let's Learn Polish! 20 Must-Know Phrases
language & literature
Eugeniusz Klimakin
Reading time: 11 min
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Every year, more and more tourists flock to Poland. In 2016, more than 17 million foreigners visited Warsaw, Kraków, Gdańsk and other cities. The largest contingent of visitors are Germans, followed by Brits. Ukrainians round out the top three. For anyone who is getting ready to come to Poland, Culture.pl has put together a list of 20 phrases that will help you understand Poles… and be understood by them!
‘Dzień dobry’ / Hello
Every conversation in Poland begins with this phrase. Poles say ‘dzień dobry’ to each other in the morning and during the day. In the evening, you’ll more likely hear the phrase ‘ dobry wieczór’ ([‘DO-brih VYE-choor’] – ‘good evening’).
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‘Cześć’ / Hi
This is how you greet your close acquaintances and friends. It’s not appropriate to start a conversation this way with people who you don’t know well or who are older than you. ‘Cześć’ [‘CHESHCH’] is generally translated as ‘hi’, but Poles also use this expression to say goodbye.
‘Co słychać?’ / What’s up?
If you don’t know what to talk about with your new friends, toss out the most open question in the Polish language: ‘Co słychać?’ It allows your companions to talk about anything: the unbearable heat, a wonderful new restaurant, or perhaps an unforgettable weekend in Kraków. If someone doesn’t particularly want to speak for very long, he will respond to this question with the phrase ‘ wszystko dobrze’([‘FSHIST-ko DOB-zhih’]) – ‘everything’s fine’).
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‘O jejku!’ / Oh my!
This is the universal phrase for expressing surprise. Poles say ‘O jejku!’ [‘oh-YAY-koo’] out of delight, horror, joy or disappointment. Your pen fell on the floor? Say: ‘O jejku!’ You didn’t hear your alarm clock? ‘O jejku!’ Your friend changed her hairstyle? Absolutely ‘O jejku!’. Depending on the situation, you may it say it with a smile, with shock, with delight or with disappointment… but the words are always the same: ‘O jejku!’, ‘O jejku!’, ‘O jejku!’
‘Kocham Cię’ / I love you
These are most important words in any language: ‘Kocham Cię’ [‘KO-hom cheh’]. Learning them is a must. Who knows, it’s possible that some Pole may steal your heart. You may as well prepare for this eventuality before your visit!
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‘Takie jest życie’ / That’s life
If something didn’t work out or didn’t go according to plan, say: ‘takie jest życie’ [‘TA-kyay YEST ZHIH-cheh’]. C’est la vie!
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‘Polska biało-czerwoni’ / Poland, red and white!
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‘Miło Cię poznać’ / Nice to meet you
This phrase expresses affection for a person you just met. If you are not yet on informal terms, it is better to say ‘Miło Pana/Panią poznać’ [‘MEE-woe PAN-a/PAN-yaunh POE-znatch’].
‘Rozumiesz?’ / Do you understand?
This question not only helps clarify something you truly didn’t understand; sometimes it serves as a plea for solidarity and compassion. ‘I just became a father, rozumiesz?’, ‘Ugh! My boss doesn’t want to give me a raise, rozumiesz?’, ‘My roommate was playing his accordion until 3 in the morning, AGAIN, rozumiesz?’ [Pronunciation: ‘roe-ZOO-myesh’.]
‘Cholera jasna!’ / The devil take it!
When your nerves are shot, when everything goes wrong, when you need to let off steam, say: ‘Cholera jasna!’ [‘cho-LEH-ra YAS-na’]. We are not sure that it will make you feel better, but Poles will exactly understand your level of frustration or anger.
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‘Palce lizać’ / Finger-licking good
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‘Nie rozumiem po polsku’ / I don’t understand Polish
Of course, it is better to understand, but if it so happens that you are completely overwhelmed with Polish at the moment, remember this phrase. Poles love it when foreigners try to learn their language, therefore after your: ‘Nie rozumiem po polsku’ [‘NYEH roe-ZOOM-yem POE POLE-skoo’], the tender pan or pani will start to speak with you in sign language, pointing out the way to the best eatery, to the bus stop, or to the nearest restroom.
‘Ratunku!’ / Help me!
If you are in a dangerous or critical situation and you need help immediately, shout these words: ‘ra-TOON-koo’. Shout them loudly and repeatedly. Poles are very responsive and concerned about others, therefore you will quickly be surrounded by people ready to help.
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‘Ile to kosztuje?’ / How much does this cost?
You cannot do without this phrase if you are planning to buy groceries, vegetables or fruit in roadside stalls, bazaars and markets. In such places the prices might not be listed, therefore ‘ile to kosztuje’ [‘EE-lay TOE kosh-TOO-yay’] will definitely come in handy.
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‘Czy ma Pan/Pani drobne?’ / Do you have change?
In grocery stores the situation often happens where a cashier asks a foreigner this question, and the foreigner doesn’t understand what is wanted from him. To avoid such situations, memorise these words and be ready to be asked this if you decided to pay in large bills at a store.
‘Ni z gruszki, ni z pietruszki’ / For no reason at all
Your new Polish friends will be pleasantly surprised if this idiom is in your lexicon. Delight them! ‘Ni z gruszki, ni z pietruszki’ [NEE Z’ GROOSH-key, NEE Z’ pye-TROOSH-key’] literally translates as ‘with neither pears nor parsley’ – but it means ‘suddenly’, ‘unexpectedly’, ‘for no reason at all’.
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‘Po ptakach’ / That ship has sailed
It’s too late, all is lost, your ship has sailed. It is better that this phrase is not necessary for you or your friends, but if life turns this way, it’s good to understand that your friends are not talking about flying birds (‘po ptakach’ [‘POE PTAH-kach’] literally means ‘the birds have flown’), but about a situation that can’t be changed.
‘Sto lat!’ / One hundred years!
‘Sto lat!’ [‘STOW LOT’] is the most common Polish birthday greeting and is the name of the most popular song sung to the birthday boy or girl. ‘Sto lat!’ is also sung to newlyweds at weddings. The multifunctional phrase may also be used as a toast or like ‘bless you!’ when someone sneezes.
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‘Na zdrowie’ / To your health (Cheers)
‘Na zdrowie’ [‘NA ZDROW-vyay’] is used most often for two situations: when drinking alcoholic beverages or after someone sneezes. In both of these cases, it is a wish for good health.
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‘Na razie’ / Bye
When saying farewell to your Polish friends, don’t forget to say: ‘Na razie’ [‘NA RAH-zyeh’]. Remember that you can only say this to close friends and good acquaintances. If you are saying goodbye in a more official setting, it’s more appropriate to say ‘ do widzenia’ [‘DOE vid-ZEN-ya’].
Originally written in Russian, translated by Katherine Alberti
Videos by Marek Sokolowski
Published: Feb 11 2021
Last updated: Jul 14 2026
Author: Eugeniusz Klimakin
Eugeniusz is a journalist and editor. He has worked in TV, radio and online magazines in different countries. He loves to travel to exotic places and see what interesting people can find there.
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