Jak mówią naprawdę
Words that never appear in a textbook and never stop appearing in speech.
kombinować
verb · imperfective
- EN
- to scheme, to work an angle, to figure out
- RU
- химичить, комбинировать
Zawsze coś kombinujesz, co tym razem?
You're always scheming something — what is it this time?
Not neutral. It implies working an angle, and Poles apply it to themselves with a certain pride.
ogarnąć
verb · perfective
- EN
- to sort out, to get a handle on
- RU
- разобраться, привести в порядок
Musisz ogarnąć swój pokój przed przyjściem gości.
You need to sort out your room before the guests arrive.
The most useful modern verb in the language. Ogarniam = I'm on it, I've got this, I understand.
spoko
adjective · indeclinable, colloquial
- EN
- cool, fine, no worries
- RU
- норм, спокойно, класс
Spoko, nie musisz się spieszyć.
It's cool, you don't have to hurry.
Indeclinable, which is why it works everywhere. Serves as agreement, reassurance and dismissal alike.
luz
noun · masculine, colloquial
- EN
- ease, slack, chill
- RU
- расслабон, свобода
Weekend to czas na luz.
The weekend is time to chill.
Na luzie = relaxed. Also the literal slack in a rope and the neutral gear in a car.
wkurzać się
verb · reflexive, imperfective
- EN
- to get annoyed, to get wound up
- RU
- злиться, беситься
Nie wkurzaj się, to tylko żart.
Don't get annoyed, it's just a joke.
The mild one. A cruder verb starts with the same wku- and you should hear it in the wild before you try it.
gadka
noun · feminine, colloquial
- EN
- talk, spiel, chit-chat
- RU
- болтовня, разговорчики
Znam tę gadkę, już to słyszałem.
I know that spiel, I've heard it before.
From gadać. Always faintly dismissive — a spiel, never a conversation.
w sumie
phrase
- EN
- actually, all things considered
- RU
- в общем-то, вообще-то
W sumie masz rację.
Actually, you're right.
Filler and genuine hedge at once. It opens a startling share of spoken Polish sentences.
ciuchy
noun · plural, colloquial
- EN
- clothes, gear
- RU
- шмотки, одежда
Muszę kupić nowe ciuchy na lato.
I need to buy new clothes for summer.
Plural only, and casual. The neutral word is ubrania.
impreza
noun · feminine
- EN
- party; event
- RU
- вечеринка
Idziemy na imprezę w sobotę?
Are we going to a party on Saturday?
Officially any organised event — a conference is an impreza on paper. In speech it is always a party.
dogodny
adjective
- EN
- convenient, suitable
- RU
- удобный, подходящий
Wybierz dogodny dla siebie termin.
Choose a time that suits you.
Formal register. In speech people say wygodny; dogodny lives in contracts, forms and booking pages.
Drill these ten · earlier morning · later morning
Drill these ten