Slang
Street register. Hear it before you use it.
generalnie
adverb
- EN
- generally, basically
- RU
- в целом, вообще-то
Generalnie zgadzam się z tobą, ale mam jedno zastrzeżenie.
Generally I agree with you, but I have one reservation.
Latinate and faintly corporate. In neutral speech w zasadzie does the same job without the suit.
ewentualnie
adverb
- EN
- alternatively, if need be
- RU
- возможно, в крайнем случае
Możemy pójść do kina, ewentualnie zostać w domu.
We could go to the cinema, or else stay home.
A false friend for English: it never means 'eventually'. Same trap in German and Russian эвентуально.
kasa
noun · feminine, colloquial
- EN
- money, cash
- RU
- деньги, бабки
Nie mam teraz kasy na wakacje.
I don't have the money for a holiday right now.
Literally the till. Casual but not rude — milder than бабки.
lecieć
verb · imperfective, colloquial
- EN
- to rush off; to be going
- RU
- нестись, спешить
Muszę już lecieć, spóźnię się do pracy.
I have to run, I'll be late for work.
Literally 'to fly'. Jak leci? is the everyday 'how's it going' and has nothing to do with flight.
przypał
noun · masculine, slang
- EN
- an awkward scrape, a close call
- RU
- палево, неловкая ситуация
To był niezły przypał, kiedy nauczyciel złapał go na ściąganiu.
It was quite a scrape when the teacher caught him copying.
Literally 'a burn'. Slang for a situation that is embarrassing, incriminating or both.
kminić
verb · imperfective, slang
- EN
- to think about, to figure out
- RU
- кумекать, размышлять
Kminię, jak rozwiązać to zadanie.
I'm working out how to solve this.
Youth slang, everywhere in speech and absent from every textbook. Kminić się is to overthink.
odpuścić
verb · perfective, + sobie
- EN
- to let go of, to ease off
- RU
- отпустить, забить
Odpuść sobie dzisiaj siłownię, jesteś chory.
Skip the gym today, you're ill.
Takes sobie. The Polish way of granting yourself permission to stop.
czad
noun · masculine, colloquial
- EN
- awesome (exclamation); carbon monoxide
- RU
- круто!, обалденно
Ale czad, dostaliśmy darmowe bilety!
How brilliant, we got free tickets!
Literally carbon monoxide. As an exclamation it means the exact opposite of poisonous.
wykiwać
verb · perfective, colloquial, + acc.
- EN
- to dupe, to con
- RU
- обдурить, кинуть
Sprzedawca próbował mnie wykiwać z ceną.
The seller tried to con me on the price.
From kiwać, to nod. To fool someone by keeping them nodding along.
byle jaki
adjective phrase
- EN
- any old, slapdash
- RU
- какой попало, абы какой
Nie kupuj byle jakiego prezentu, pomyśl trochę.
Don't buy any old present, put some thought in.
Byle + a question word is productive: byle kto, byle gdzie, byle co, byle jak. Learn the pattern, get five phrases.
Drill these ten · earlier morning · later morning
Drill these ten