Polish · Real conversations
Markets and groceries: Polish conversation practice
Buy a quantity and ask about a product. Read the exchange, reveal the translations when you need them, then try your part before looking at the sample answers.
A1 · Read and rehearse
Your role: A shopper at a produce stall.
Goal: Buy a quantity and ask about a product.
Read the conversation
Partner
Dzień dobry. Co podać?
Show English translation
Good morning. What would you like?
You
Poproszę pół kilo pomidorów.
Show English translation
Half a kilo of tomatoes, please.
Partner
Proszę. Ten melon jest dziś bardzo popularny.
Show English translation
Here you are. This melon is popular today.
You
Czy to jest dojrzałe?
Show English translation
Is this ripe?
Partner
Tak, jest gotowy do jedzenia. Mamy też świeży chleb.
Show English translation
Yes, it's ready to eat. We also have fresh bread.
You
Kiedy to zostało zrobione?
Show English translation
When was this made?
Partner
Chleb upieczono dziś rano. Szuka pan / pani też warzyw?
Show English translation
The bread was made this morning. Are you looking for vegetables too?
You
Czy ma pan/pani coś uprawianego lokalnie?
Show English translation
Do you have anything locally grown?
Partner
Tak, te marchewki są z pobliskiego gospodarstwa. Zapakować wszystko?
Show English translation
Yes, these carrots are from a nearby farm. Shall I bag everything?
You
Czy może pan/pani zapakować to do osobnych toreb?
Show English translation
Could you put these in separate bags?
Try your part first
Partner says: Good morning. What would you like? Your goal: Half a kilo of tomatoes, please.
Reveal a sample reply
Poproszę pół kilo pomidorów.
Half a kilo of tomatoes, please.
Partner says: Here you are. This melon is popular today. Your goal: Is this ripe?
Reveal a sample reply
Czy to jest dojrzałe?
Is this ripe?
Partner says: Yes, it's ready to eat. We also have fresh bread. Your goal: When was this made?
Reveal a sample reply
Kiedy to zostało zrobione?
When was this made?
Partner says: The bread was made this morning. Are you looking for vegetables too? Your goal: Do you have anything locally grown?
Reveal a sample reply
Czy ma pan/pani coś uprawianego lokalnie?
Do you have anything locally grown?
Partner says: Yes, these carrots are from a nearby farm. Shall I bag everything? Your goal: Could you put these in separate bags?
Reveal a sample reply
Czy może pan/pani zapakować to do osobnych toreb?
Could you put these in separate bags?
Make it your own
- Choose another fruit.
- Change the quantity.
- Bring your own bag.
Keep the useful expression and change the detail. There can be several appropriate answers; the revealed replies are examples to learn from.
This rehearsal in other languages
A note on speaking Polish
Polish distinguishes familiar ty from polite pan and pani. Choose pan when addressing a man and pani when addressing a woman formally; the paired forms shown in examples are alternatives, so say one. A formal question usually uses a third-person verb, such as Czy może pan …? First-person past and conditional forms can change with the speaker’s gender.
Keep letters such as ą, ę, ł, ń, ó, ś, ź, and ż. Noun and adjective endings can change with their role in the sentence. Learn the complete expression before replacing a name, object, or time.
