Learn Polish

One can only get an emotional feel for the visited place via direct contact with its people, because their customs, culture and traditions leave a mark in the memory of that special corner of the world. Meeting the inhabitants of different countries is a great thing, provided, however, that one does not offend them with a badly chosen word or gesture. It is then worth mastering the art of reading the behavior of the locals in order to avoid amusing or unfortunate misunderstandings.

In general, Poles are more traditional than westerners, and there is a vast contrast between urban and rural life, as the Polish village remains very religious and conservative. But be it in the cities or in the remote countryside, Poles will win you over with their hospitality, generosity and kindness, reflecting two popular unwritten rules: “a guest in the house is God in the house” and “get in debt but show your best”.

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Exploring grocery stores can be one of the traveling’s greatest everyday pleasures. In Poland most of its cities and towns offer three options for food shopping: the traditional open-air or covered market, the small Mom-and-Pop store, and the modern supermarket. The first one is worth visiting for the atmosphere alone, its rich sights, smells and sounds.

Poles still like shopping there even though regular stores abound with a wide variety of products. Markets offer fresh and cheap vegetables, fruits, meat, eggs and other food, especially in the morning. And buying from the stalls almost invariably requires some mastery of Polish. Therefore, look at the words and phrases below. They might be helpful when you are out shopping.

Text by Anna Kruszewska-Achmatowicz

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