Official name: Republic of Poland (short name: Poland) -> in Polish: Rzeczpospolita Polska (short name: Polska)

Official language: Polish

Currency: złoty, PLN

Capital: Warsaw (Warszawa)

Major cities: Kraków, Łódź, Wrocław, Poznań, Gdańsk, Szczecin, Bydgoszcz, Lublin, Katowice, Białystok

Time zone: Central European time zone (GMT + 1hour / TUC + 1hour), except for between last Sunday in March and last Sunday in October when it switches to daylight saving time

Customs and religious holidays

  • 1st of November: All Saints' Day (Wszystkich Świętych) (day off) - on this day people visit cemeteries to light up candles and pray for those who have passed away
  • 11th of November: Independence Day (day off)
  • 29th of November: Eve of St. Andrew's Day - a magical night of future-telling, when people pour hot wax into cold water through a key hole and try to read their fate from the shape of the congealed wax
  • 24 December - 1 January: Christmas (Boże Narodzenie) Break
    Christmas Eve dinner on 24th of December (Wigilia)
  • 6 January: Epiphany (day off)
  • Fat Thursday (Tłusty czwartek): the day of eating traditional Polish doughnuts (pączki) and Angel Wings (faworki) - celebrated on the last Thursday before the religoius period of Lent
  • Shrove Tuesday (Ostatki): the last day of the Carnival when people party before the beginning of Lent
  • 8th of March: Women's Day (Dzień Kobiet)
  • 21st of March: the First Day of Spring (Pierwszy Dzień Wiosny) - the day of the spring equinox when people used to burn and/or drown an effigy of Marzanna, who was considered the embodiment of death and winter ("frost maiden")
  • Easter (Wielkanoc): from Thursday to Monday - moveable feast between late March and late April (days off), one of the most important public holidays steeped in tradition
  • 1st of May: Labour Day (day off) - celebrated in Poland since 1886
  • 2nd of May: Polish Flag Day
  • 3rd of May: Constitution Day (day off)
  • Corpus Christi (Boże Ciało): on Thursday-moveable feast, depends on Easter Sunday; May/June (day off)

Living costs

Monthly living costs of an average student in Poland: 1200-2000 PLN.

Monthly rent: dormitory 350-550 PLN, room at a private apartment 500-1000 PLN

Generally the costs of food, public transportation and housing are somewhat lower in Poland than in Western Europe. Nonetheless, they increase every year.

 

Average prices of everyday products:

  • bread 500g: 2-5 PLN,
  • milk 1l: 2-4 PLN,
  • butter: 5-9 PLN,
  • eggs (10): 4-8 PLN
  • water 1,5l: 2-3 PLN,
  • water (restaurants, pubs) 0,33l: 3-5 PLN 
  • coffee in a cafe: 7-12 PLN
  • apples 1kg: 1-4 PLN,
  • potatos 1kg: 1-3 PLN,
  • tomatoes 1kg: 2-9 PLN,
  • orange juice 1l: 3-5 PLN,
  • white sugar 1kg: 3-5 PLN,
  • chicken breasts 1kg: 15-20 PLN,
  • washing detergents: 4-7 PLN,

 

Other exemplary costs:

  • energy and gas monthly: 120 PLN,
  • full price monthly ticket: 80-105 PLN,
  • cinema student's ticket: 16-23 PLN,
  • haircut: 25-50 PLN,
  • lunch at canteen: 10-15 PLN

 

Travel

If you want to travel within Poland or Europe you can do it by intercity transport:

  1. train (the national railway company PKP, which operates various types of trains, from fast and expensive EuroCity to slower and low standard 'pospieszne');
  2. coach (regional bus operators under a general name PKS, as well as private coach companies, e.g. Polski Bus);
  3. plane ( LOTWizzairRyanair).

Introduction to Polish

Gdańsk University of Technology

Politechnika Gdańska

University

uczelnia

Hello?/Hi!

Cześć!

Good day

Dzień dobry [jane-dough-bray]

Good evening

Dobry wieczór

Good night

Dobranoc 

Goodbye

Do widzenia [dough ve-zen-ya]

I'm sorry/Excuse me...

Przepraszam...

Sorry I'm late

Przepraszam za spóźnienie

Thank you!

Dziękuję! [jen-ku-yeow]

Thanks!

Dzięki! [jen-kee]

Please

Proszę [pro-shoa]

Yes

Tak [tack]

No

Nie [ny-eh]

How are you?

Co słychać?

I'm fine

W porządku

I don't speak Polish

Nie mówię po polsku

I don't understand

Nie rozumiem

Do you speak English?

Czy mówisz po angielsku? [che move-ish poe an-gell-sku]

Could I have this?

Poproszę to.

What time is it?

Która godzina? 

Would you like...?

Chcesz...?

How much does it cost?

Ile to kosztuje?

Where is...?

Gdzie jest...? 

first name

imię [em-yeow]

last name/surname

nazwisko

dean's office

dziekanat

Dormitory

dom studencki/akademik

Street

ulica

Room

pokój

Kitchen

kuchnia

Laundry

pralnia

Restroom

toaleta

Bathroom

łazienka

Library

biblioteka

Classes

zajęcia

Exam

egzamin

Today

dziś

Tommorow

jutro

Yesterday

wczoraj

Monday

poniedziałek

Tuesday

wtorek

Wednesday

środa

Thursday

czwartek

Friday

piątek

Saturday

sobota

Sunday

niedziela

Bus

autobus

Tram

tramwaj

Ticket

bilet

cash desk

kasa

City Hall

Urząd Miejski

Pomeranian Voivodeship Office

Pomorski Urząd Wojwódzki

Bread

chleb

Milk

mleko

Fruits

owoce

Vegetables

warzywa

Meat

mięso

Beverage

napój

Water

woda

Shop

sklep

Pharmacy

apteka

petrol station

stacja benzynowa

Black

czarny [tchar-ni]

White

biały [bee-ah-wi]

grey

szary [sha-ri]

red

czerwony [chair-vo-ni]

blue

niebieski [nyeh-bee-es-kee]

yellow

żółty [zhoh-ti]

green

zielony [zhieloni]

orange

pomarańczowy [po-mar-an-cho-vi]

pink

różowy [roo-zho-vi]

brown

brązowy [bron-zho-vi]