Krakow travel guide to restaurants pubs bars apartments shops and hotels in Krakow Poland

Language

Fun with words


Online Translators and Dictionaries

What do those signs mean?

There are a whole range of Polish words which look pretty similar to their English equivalents, so signs such as POLICJA, RESTAURACJA HOTEL and TAXI are hardly going to tax most travellers, but here are a handful of others that may be useful:

Kawiarnia - Cafe
Herbaciarnia - Tea House
Ksiegarnia - Book Shop
Mieso - Butchery
Nabial - Dairy products
Sklep - Shop
Prasa - Newsagent
Dworzec - Station
Lotnisko - Airport

Click & Listen!

Yes

No

Hello

Goodbye

How are you?

Please

Thank you

How much does this cost?

Do you speak English?

Cheers!

I lost my passport - can you help me?

How much does beer cost?

Two beers please!

Do you have a sister?

Drop by tonight and I'll show you my stamp collection

There's no getting away from it - Polish is a tough language, any early attempts at which will have you sounding like you're whispering, gargling and choking simultaneously. Many Poles, particularly the younger ones, speak a little English, but that's no excuse not to learn at least a few of those tortuous tongue-twisters, so we've included. at the bottom of this page, a brief guide to get you started. For those who wish to get more involved, there are a host of excellent language schools and Polish courses for foreigners, many of them providing translation services, which may be necessary if you plan to stay any length of time in the city. Also, if you are looking for an English curriculum school for your children whilst working in Cracow, you can find out more details from the British International School in Cracow's website.

Below: a tough nut to crack - a mouthful of Polish consonants

The Polish language uses the Latin alphabet as in English, however you will find a few extra letters, (formed from Latin letters but with an additional slash or hook), bringing the total to 32. A few letters you won't find are: q, v, and x. The only exception to this rule are direct translations from other languages (e.g. "fax') and, of course, slang and marketing-language.

We've recently added our new audio pronunciation guide (right) to help with those tricky Polish pronunciations! If you've got some good ideas on how to make our language section better, let us know!

a few words...



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Learn Polish in Krakow
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Polish language tips

"i am a national guide in tunisia. i speak french, english and spanish frecuently, a little italian and i prepare a travel to krakow to learn polish. a hard pronounciation language but nice. good luck for me and for all"

sami
Tunisia
Aug.29.2010
rates this page
4/5

"really i like this language, i have 2 friends from poslska, i want to surprise them one day; when i speak it, no bad; i love u polska peaple; "

ibrahim
Morocco
Jul.06.2010
rates this page
3/5

"ya kocham polska i lubie jezyk polski,jest bardzo ladnym jezykiem."

beji
Georgia
May.07.2010
rates this page
3/5

"doesn't matter what kind of collection.ve have never bad an intention......."

victor
Turkey
Apr.17.2010
rates this page
3/5

"That's right Koos, and "stamp collection" can also be interchanged with "butterfly collection." It amounts to the same thing!"

Phil Atelist
United States
Mar.31.2010
rates this page
4/5

"I've had several women say that sentence to me. Now at last I know what it means: 'Drop by tonight and I'll show you my stamp collection'. A special lot, those Poles ;-)"

Koos
Netherlands
Mar.29.2010
rates this page
4/5

"Dzen dobrzy, bardzo dzenkue wszistkiegó nailepszego! Danke für Ihr kleines Vokabular, es wäre noch besser, wenn Sie dieses etwas erweitern. Alles Gute. Jurij "

Jurij Below
Germany
Mar.23.2010
rates this page
3/5

"J, I suggest learning how to say that in English first."

Anka
United Kingdom
Mar.15.2010
rates this page
5/5

"How do you say "I will not by this tobacconists, it is scratched." ?"

J Cleese
United States
Jan.29.2010
rates this page
5/5

"this website is really cool. Its really hard to learn a new language but with this website I can do this one step at a time. oh ya. my name is ola too.!!"

ola
United States
Dec.28.2009
rates this page
4/5

"dats kool"

federica
United States
Dec.03.2009
rates this page
3/5

"W polsce jest troche dziwnych ludzi ...pozatym wszystko jest cool ! pozdrawiam :)"

Eric
United States
Nov.26.2009
rates this page
4/5

"Do you want to learn hard but beautiful Polish language? I’m highly qualified (university diploma) teacher of polish as a foreign language and I give lessons for all levels, all age groups. With me, you will never get bored with Polish. Hablo un poco espanol tambien Please contact for rates Contact me a tel 505784352, e-mail wojaczek.a@gmail.com, gadu-gadu 8833557 Ola "

Ola
Poland
Nov.17.2009
rates this page
4/5

"LOL, what a good laugh is that language part! Do you have a sister! ^^ but seriously, what if you really lost your passport. This lady's voice is not helping anything. No way you remember that! ^^"

benny
Netherlands
Nov.09.2009
rates this page
4/5

"Do you have a sister? Awesome - got all I need now, thanks :)"

Stu
United Kingdom
Oct.21.2009
rates this page
4/5

"LOL "come over in the evening, I'll show you my stamp collection" LOL! We all know what that means, don't we... Anyway, when in Rome... try and learn a word or two, we really appreciate it. Leave "chrzaszcz brzmi w trzcinie..." for your next vistit."

Greg
Australia
Oct.14.2009
rates this page
4/5

"yea- 'papaski' , 'pa' , 'papa' means all same - bye bye"

g.w.w.
Poland
Oct.03.2009
rates this page
5/5

""Two beers Please" - I'm learning that one at least. Cheers!"

Jigger
United Kingdom
Oct.01.2009
rates this page
5/5

"what does "Papaski" mean at the end of a text message? i thinkit is bye bye but not sure"

Col
United Kingdom
Sep.21.2009
rates this page
3/5

"i wish you would put more voce things"

unnone
Canada
Sep.17.2009
rates this page
4/5

"I would have like to show you Cracow but now I am in Zakopane for summer season. Do you know it?have you ever been there?Great and different city as well as Cracow.If you need any comfy accomodation or help when there, please do feel free to contact me.May be an other time as you will be leaving soon and you need at leat 5 days to visit fully Zakopane.So for next time, check our website www.ogrodygorskie.pl. take Care .See you "

lolozabojat
Poland
Aug.22.2009
rates this page
4/5

"just arrived in Krakow from US. would love to have someone show me around or someone that doesn't know the place either and we can explore together. I'm here for a week stayin close to Old Town from august 16 to 25"

amanda
United States
Aug.16.2009
rates this page
3/5

"hi, greetings to all polish folks... and the others too :) i moved 19 years ago to germany, was a lot time ago in Krakow. Poland is a great country and we have the most beautiful girls :) cee ya all & hf"

Tadeusz'78
Germany
Aug.14.2009
rates this page
3/5

"Hi, i´m from the 17 June until 19 June 2009 in Crakow. I moved with 7 years to Germany, so I speak a little bit polish as well, looking for someone, who show´s me amazing places in Crocow. Looking to hear from you! "

babs
Germany
Jun.03.2009
rates this page
3/5

"my browser shows characters. Are there deaf / sign language groups in Krakow? "

s. wall
United States
May.03.2009
rates this page
4/5

"The site is really informative. Me and my boyfriend fly to crakow on Sunday for a few days and I can't wait to see the sites. It looks a beautiful place. My Polish needs ALOT of work though! "

Kate
United Kingdom
Mar.31.2009
rates this page
4/5

"bardzo dobry krakow zmienyl sie bardo PS prsepraszam za 'dobry'polski"

lemi
Macedonia
Mar.09.2009
rates this page
5/5

"It's "Polski" or "Polskie" depending on the context."

Ania
Poland
Mar.03.2009
rates this page
5/5

"how do you say Polish in polish?"

Jorge
United States
Feb.28.2009
rates this page
4/5

"Ha, I love speaking Polish! All my friends are always asking me to say words. It's very hard, but it's SOO worth it!! LOVE IT!!!! PS-- The sign up there it a mouthful to say! "

Kasia
United States
Feb.25.2009
rates this page
5/5

"Hi, just like to find out if jeans and sneakers are allowed in the opera krakowska? not those dirty torn sneakers though! :)"

Ellen
Singapore
Feb.20.2009
rates this page
3/5

"It's such a pleasure to read all the nice comments and to know there are some people who do appreciate the beauty of Poland! I'm Polish myself but leave in the UK at the moment. My bfriend is from here as well but unfortunatelly he's not that enthusiastic about the country and its people... "

Asia
United Kingdom
Feb.17.2009
rates this page
4/5

"wot a place to visit.. friendly, clean and very cheap..."

knoxy
United Kingdom
Feb.04.2009
rates this page
4/5

"just come back from poland its 1 fantastic place to see "

andy
United Kingdom
Jan.18.2009
rates this page
3/5

"Could anyone translate STODDI BABBA AND STODDI PON for me"

Lina
United States
Jan.13.2009
rates this page
3/5

"here is web dictionary link: http://www.dict.pl/ and here u can translate all sentenses: http://www.poltran.com/pl.php4"

kolop
United Kingdom
Jan.12.2009
rates this page
4/5

"anyone from krakow? please piramerd@msn.com"

Diary
Sweden
Jan.12.2009
rates this page
3/5

"is krakow nisce? Diary Sweden piramerd@msn.com"

Diary
United States
Jan.12.2009
rates this page
3/5

"i absolutely loveee poland!!! kocham swoj kraj!!!!!! krakow is absolutely beautiful !!!!i luv poznan as well. :)"

martyna
Australia
Jan.04.2009
rates this page
4/5

"Yo Nalepka!"

Cesky Tesin
Mozambique
Dec.30.2008
rates this page
3/5

"this is it really is tak"

karina
United States
Nov.19.2008
rates this page
2/5

"Sobota means Saturday. have fun in poland Mukesh Uniyal"

Mukesh Uniyal
India
Nov.14.2008
rates this page
4/5

"Poland in Polish = Polska"

a
Poland
Oct.22.2008
rates this page
3/5

"how do you spell poland in polish "


United States
Oct.21.2008
rates this page
3/5

"o znaczkach jest dobre :D"

hehe
Egypt
Oct.21.2008
rates this page
5/5

"You'll have a brilliant time. I certainly did the Poles are amongst the friendliest bunch of people I've ever come across and Cracow maybe the most beautiful place."

Davey Clare
United Kingdom
Sep.30.2008
rates this page
5/5

"I am off to Krakow around november for a short break.I have not been to an eastern country befor, so I am really looking forward to going.This Polish translation insite is brill,Infact lets be brutful, The hole site BRILL."

Paul
United Kingdom
Sep.23.2008
rates this page
5/5

"URODZILAM SIE W KATOWICACH TO JEST CUDOWNE MIASTO OD 30 LAT MIESZKAM W STANIE IL W MIESTECZKU ORLAND PARK HEY! PEPLE GO TO POLAND AND YOU WILL HAWE GOOD TIME! CRACOW IS NICE PLACE TO VISYT TO SHAP! EAT! DANCE! AND TO SEE MANY, MANY MORE! GO! AND SEE POLAND KATOWICE KRAKOW WARSZAWE LOVE IRENA! "

IRENA
United States
Aug.16.2008
rates this page
5/5

"good info here, last but one click and listen is best, i am planing to visit in September with a view to setting up a used / antique furniture business in poland importing goods from UK i would welcome any info or contacts.... graham "

graham york
United Kingdom
Aug.16.2008
rates this page
4/5

"I love the fact that you can hear the sound of the words too .. I will be working in a class in a primary school in September and one lil boy comes from poland and speaks very little english, so if anyone can help with links to where I can get some words used in schools like books, pencil, pen, desk, paper, ruler, listen, understand? etc would be very useful. thankies Wends xx"

Wends
United Kingdom
Jul.18.2008
rates this page
4/5