Top 10 Polish Words and Phrases to Help You Jumpstart Your Language Journey

Polish is a Slavic language spoken by over 50 million people worldwide. It is the official language of Poland but is also spoken in parts of Belarus, Ukraine, and Lithuania. For foreigners, the Polish language looks hard and scary, but learning Polish shouldn't be that way!

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If you’re interested in learning Polish, but you aren't sure how or where to start, I'm here to jumpstart your learning journey! Here are the top 10 Polish words and phrases!

1. Dzień dobry - translating it word in word, it means "good day" but Polish people use it as "good morning". It also means "good afternoon" as we do not have another phrase for it, we use "dzień dobry" until it gets dark.
2. Dobry wieczór - means "good evening". In Poland, there is only one rule for how to use it and it is: if you see it getting darker outside, it is time to switch from "dzień dobry" to "dobry wieczór".
3. Cześć - it is a mouthful for every single one of the English people. Cześć means "hello" and is used most commonly by younger people, while they're talking to their peers or people they know. It also can be used as "bye"!
4. Co tam? - Polish people don't use "How are you" as often as English people. It is mainly when they're catching up with friends about their life. "How are you" in Polish is "Jak się masz?" but it isn't used as much. The most natural and relaxed way to say "how are you" in Polish is "co tam".
5. Jak masz na imię? - "what's your name?": this question is an essential one to start a basic chat with a Polish person. Of course, this is what you do when you meet someone: you ask them about their name!
6. Mam na imię - and that is how you answer the question above. It means "my name is" and is essential when you are meeting people and making friends.
7. Miło cię poznać - is "nice to meet you". Polish people like politeness and hospitality, so knowing this phrase will help you look more polite and nice. Who doesn't want to seem polite and nice, right?
8. Dziękuję - means "thank you". Especially in Polish restaurants, people will appreciate it when you can thank them in their language. For a shorter version of this word, you can use "Dzięki".
9. Tak/Nie - "yes/no". The most basic words in the Polish language but the easiest to learn and easiest to use.
10. Proszę - the last word of the top 10 Polish words and phrases is "please". Very important when you are asking for something. Just like in English, you would use it to make the sentence more polite, like "Proszę o kawę" ("Coffee, please") or "Proszę o rachunek" ("Check, please").

To start learning Polish, you can use online resources, but I find the best method is to always get sessions with Native Polish speakers, like me! Sometimes, the apps don't entail what you need from the language. They start you with numbers and letters instead of conversational and useful language, and they aren't as thorough about your language skills as a real person would be.

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Learning a new language can be challenging, but it can also be rewarding. By learning Polish, you’ll be able to communicate with millions of people around the world and gain a deeper understanding of Polish culture. Good luck on your language journey!