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Polish Accessibility Phrases

  Whenever I travel I find myself using the same phrases no matter where I go.  I put together the list of phrases below based on all the trips I have taken.

Whereas many people without disabilities can just go with the flow in a foreign country, people with disabilities may need to ask for assistance from time to time.

At a minimum I would learn the “Most Useful Phrases” before your trip.  If you have more time, learn all the phrases in bold.  If you enjoy foreign languages, learn all the phrases below!  Be sure to print out these phrases and bring them on your trip.  If you have trouble pronouncing the phrases, you can always just point to the one you need.

* Note: I have not translated every phrase on this page.  If you can help me out, please let me know!

Most Useful Phrases

Is there a handicapped bathroom? – Czy jest toaleta dia niepe³nosprawnych? (chi yehst toh-ah-leh-tah dlah nyeh-peh-oo-noh-sprahv-nich)
Is there an entrance without steps? – Czy jest tu wejœcie bez schodów? (chi yehst too vays-chuh behz sHaw-doof)
Where is the elevator? – Czy jest tu winda? (chi yehst too veen-dah)
My friend is outside in a wheelchair. – Mój kolega jest na zewn¹trz na wózku inwalidzkim. (moo-ee koh-leh-gah yehst nah zehv-nohch nah vooz-koo een-vah-leets-keem)
Can you help me? – Czy mo¿eszmi pomóc? (chi maw-zhehsh-mee paw-moots)
Lift here and here. – Podnieœ tutaj i tutaj. (pawd-nyehsh too-tai ee too-tai)
How much does it cost? – Ile to kosztuje? (ee-leh taw kawsh-too-yay)
Do you accept credit cards? – Czy przyjmujecie karty kredytowe? (chi pshee-moo-yeh-cheh kahr-ti kreh-di-toh-veh)
…is straight ahead? – …yehst prosto? (yehst nah proh-stoh)
I would like… – Chcia³bym… (Hchow-bim) or Poproszê… (poh-proh-shehN)
The bill, please – Rachunek proszê (rah-CHoo-nehk proh-shehN)
Thank you – Dziêkujê (jeh-ooN koo-yehN)
Excuse me – Przepraszam (psheh-prah-shahm)
Hello РCzeϾ (cheshch)
Bye РCzeϾ (cheshch)
Yes – Tak (tahk)
No – Nie (nyeh)

Other Useful Phrases

Hello/Goodbye
Hello РCzeϾ (cheshch)
Hi  – Czeœæ (cheshch)
Goodbye  – Czeœæ (daw vee-jehn-yah)
Good morning – Dzieñ dobry (jehny daw-bri)
Good afternoon – Dzieñ dobry (jehny daw-bri)
Good evening – Dobry wieczór (daw-bri vweh-choor)
Good night – Dobra noc (daw-brah nawts)
How are you? – Jak siê masz? (yahk shehN mahsh)
Good  – Dobrze
Very well – Bardzo dobrze
See you later –

Please/Thanks
Please – Proszê (prah-shehN)
Thank you – Dziêkujê (jeh-ooN koo-yehN)
You’re welcome – Nie ma za co (nyeh mah zah tsoh)

Yes/No
Yes – Tak (tahk)
Yeah – Jasne (yahs-nuh) or pewnie (pehv-nyeh)
No – Nie (nyeh)
Maybe – Mo¿e
It doesn’t matter – Nie wa¿ne
Of course – Oszywiœcie
Okay – OK (oh-kay)
It’s okay – w porz¹dku (vuh paw-zhowNd-koo)
That’s right –
No problem – Nie ma problemu (nyeh mah proh-bleh-moo)
Cool! – Super (soo-pehr)

Communication
Do you speak English? –
How do you say? – Jak siê mówi (yahk shehN moo-vee)
Repeat please – Proszê powtórz (proh-shehN pawv-tuh-oozh)
Speak slower please –
What does __ mean? –
I (don’t) understand –
I have studied Portuguese for 3 months –

Making Friends
My name is… – Nazywam siê… (nah-zi-vahm shehN)
I am John / Jane – Jestem John/Jane (yeh-stehm John/Jane)
What is your name? – Jak masz na imiê (yahk mahsh nah eem-yowN)
Pleased to meet you –
 
Where are you from? – Sk¹d jesteœ? (skawNd yeh-stesh)
Which part of Brazil? –
I went there on Monday –
I am going there on Saturday –
How long are you here? –
I am from the United States – Ja jestem ze USA (yah yeh-stehm zuh oo ehs ah)
I live in California –
I am on vacation –
I arrived yesterday –
I am going to leave tomorrow –
I am excited –

Accessibility
Is there an entrance without steps? – Czy jest tu wejœcie bez schodów? (chi yehst too vays-chuh behz sHaw-doof)
Where is the elevator? – Czy jest tu winda? (chi yehst too veen-dah)
My friend is outside in a wheelchair. – Mój kolega jest na zewn¹trz na wózku inwalidzkim. (moo-ee koh-leh-gah yehst nah zehv-nohch nah vooz-koo een-vah-leets-keem)
I am in a wheelchair. –
Is there a handicapped bathroom? –
 
Excuse me – Przepraszam (psheh-prah-shahm)
Can you help me? – Czy mo¿eszmi pomóc? (chi maw-zhehsh-mee paw-moots)
Lift here and here. – Podnieœ tutaj i tutaj. (pawd-nyehsh too-tai ee too-tai)
Can you help me go up? –
Can you help me go down? –
I am ready –
Are there hills there? –

Should I wait here? – Czy mam tu poczekaæ (chuh mahm too paw-cheh-kahch)
Stay here –
I will return –

Handicapped –
Accessible –
The elevator –
The escalator –

The ramp – Podjazd (pawd-yahzd) or rampa (rahm-pah)
The steps –
The stairs –
The cobblestones –

Wheelchair – wózek inwalidzki (voo-zehk een-vah-leed-skee)
It folds up –
It comes apart –
It is a wet / dry battery –
I have a flat tire –

Directions
Where is…? – Gdzie jest…? (guh-jeh yehst)
Do you know where ___ is? –
Is it near? –
Is it far from here? –
How many kilometers? –
Is there a good restaurant near here? –
I would like a city map –
 
…is straight ahead? – …jest prosto? (yehst praw-stoh)
…is to the left? –
…is to the right? –

There – tam (tahm)
Here –
Over there –

I’m looking for –
I am going to… –

Next to –
In front of –
Behind –
Inside –
Outside –

North –
South –
East –
West –

Transportation
The train –
The train station –
The bus stop –
The airport –
The flight –
Arrivals/Departures –
Can you bring our luggage? –
Where can I find a taxi? –

Tourism
What time do you open/close? –
I would like an audioguide. –
What time is the tour? –
Entrance – wejœcie (vehsh-cheh)
Exit – wyjœcie (vish-cheh)
I have a question –
Downtown (center of town) –
The art museum – museum sztuki (moo-zeh-oom shtoo-kee)
The old/new bridge –
The church – koœció³ (kosh-chyoo)
The plaza – plac (plahts)
The street –
The park –
The beach – pla¿a (plah-zhah)
The ocean –

Hotel
a big hotel –
a small hotel –
I have a reservation – Mam rezerwacjê (mahm rreh-zehrr-vaht-seh-owN)
A room on the ground floor –

Restaurant/Bar
A table for two – Stó³ dla dwóch osób (stoo dlah dvooCH aw-soob)
Waiter/Waitress –
A glass of red wine –
A glass of white wine –
A beer –
A water without gas –
A menu, please –
The bill, please – Rachunek proszê (rah-CHoo-nehk proh-shehN)
For extensive dining vocabulary, buy a Lonely Planet phrase book and check out the Culinary Reader section.

Shopping
How much does it cost? – Ile to kosztuje? (ee-leh taw kawsh-too-yay)
Too expensive –
Too much –
I don’t want anything –
I’ll take it –
Do you accept credit cards? – Czy przyjmujecie karty kredytowe? (chi pshee-moo-yeh-cheh kahr-ti kreh-di-toh-veh)
 

Building Blocks

Pronouns
I –
You (familiar) –
You (formal) –
He –
She –
It –
We –
You (plural) –
They (masculine) –
They (feminine) –

Possession
My –
Your (familiar) –
Your (formal) –
His –
Her –
Its –
Our –
Their –
 
To be (characteristic)
I am –
You are (familiar) –
You are (formal) –
He is –
She is –
It is –
We are –
You are (plural) –
They are (masculine) –
They are (feminine) –

To be (condition)
I am –
You are (familiar) –
You are (formal) –
He is –
She is –
It is –
We are –
You are (plural) –
They are (masculine) –
They are (feminine) –
 
Need/Want/Have
Do you have…? – Czy masz…? (chuh mash)
I want… – Ja chcê (yah HtsowN)
We want… –
I would like… – Chcia³bym (Hchow-bim)
We would like… –
I need… –
Do I need…? –
Is it necessary…? –
Is it possible…? –
I have to… –
I can not… –
 
Go
I am going… –
You are going… –
We are going –
I went… –
Have you gone… –
We went… –
I am going to go… –

There is / There are
Is there…? – Czy jest…? (chuh yehst)
Are there…? –
There is… –
There are… –

It is
It is… – To jest… (taw yehst)
Is it…? –
They are… –

This/That
This is… –
That is… –
These are… –
Those are… –

Numbers
One –
Two –
Three –
Four –
Five –
Six –
Seven –
Eight –
Nine –
Ten –
Both –
All –
None –
Several –
Few –

People
Friend –
Man –
Woman –
Husband –
Wife –
Mother –
Father –
Son –
Daughter –
Person –
People –

Time
Today –
Tonight –
Yesterday –
Tomorrow –
Now –
Early –
Late –
Always –
Never –
Already –

Good/Bad
Good –
Bad –
Well –
Poorly –
Better –
Worse –

Big/Small
Big –
Small –
Wide –
Narrow –

Prepositions/Conjunctions
With –
Without –
To –
From –
Of –
For –
Before –
After –
And –
Or –
But –
Because –
Therefore –

Pronunciation

The format of this guide is “Polish letter – symbol, example”

c – ts, like ts in hats
æ, ci – ch like ch in chip but soft
cz – ch, like ch in chip but harder
ch – H, very forceful “h” sound from the front of the mouth
ch – CH, very forceful “h” sound from the back of the throat
drz, d¿, dŸ, dzi – j, like j in jump
ê – owN, like ow in “cow” except nasalized
j – y, like y in yes
³ – w, like w in water
ñ – ny, like ni in onion
ni – ny, like ni in onion
o – aw, like aw in saw
ó – oo, like oo in food
r – rr, the r is rolled like it is in Spanish
sz , œ, si – sh, like sh in sheep
u – oo, like oo in food
w – v, like v in very
y – i, like i in fit
¿, Ÿ, zi, rz – zh, like s in measure

a – ah, like a in father
e – eh, like e in bet
i – ee, like ee in see
o – aw, like o in shop
u, ô – oo, like oo in moon
y – i, like i in fit
¹ – ahN, like a in father but nasalized
ê – ehN, like e in bed but nasalized

 

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