Episode 05 · Where Are You From?

Welcome back to Kazimierz. Our guy Tom has survived his first few days here. He knows how to say hello, he knows how to order a tea from Pani Basia, and thanks to Kuba, he can confidently say, Mam na imię Tom.

But with a name comes the inevitable next question. The one Tom has been dreading. Because he belongs to this street by hope, but right now, to nowhere by language.

He spots Ola, the Englishwoman who helped him find his room, chatting with Kuba outside the café. Kuba sees Tom and waves him over.

Siema Tom! Jak się masz?

Cześć Kuba. Dobrze.

Wiem, że masz na imię Tom. Ale powiedz mi... skąd jesteś?

Skąd jesteś? — Where are you from? · skont YES-tesh

There it is. Skąd jesteś? Where are you from? Let's break that down. Skąd means from where. Notice that little tail on the a? That makes a nasal sound, but right before a d, it actually sounds like the English word on. Skąd.

Skąd jesteś? — Where are you from? · skont YES-tesh

And jesteś is the casual you form of the verb to be. Are you. So, from where are you? Say it with me... Skąd jesteś?

Skąd jesteś? — Where are you from? · skont YES-tesh

Try it again, nice and natural. Skąd jesteś?

Skąd jesteś? — Where are you from? · skont YES-tesh

Tom freezes for a second. He knows this one, he practiced it on the train, but saying it to a real person is different. He takes a breath.

Jestem z Anglii.

Jestem z Anglii. — I'm from England. · YES-tem z AHN-glee

Excellent! Jestem z Anglii. I am from England. Jestem is I am. The little letter z means from. And then we have Anglii, which is England.

Jestem z Anglii. — I'm from England. · YES-tem z AHN-glee

Now, the dictionary word for England is Anglia, ending in an a. But because we said from, the word changes its ending to a double i. Anglii. That's Polish doing its thing to show relationships between words. Just learn it as a chunk for now. Jestem z Anglii.

Jestem z Anglii. — I'm from England. · YES-tem z AHN-glee

Say it with me. Jestem z Anglii. And again, a little smoother... Jestem z Anglii.

Jestem z Anglii. — I'm from England. · YES-tem z AHN-glee

Ola smiles. She's from the UK too, but she's lived here so long she feels like part of the furniture. She points a thumb at Kuba.

On jest z Krakowa.

On jest z Krakowa. — He's from Kraków. · on yest z krah-KOH-vah

On jest z Krakowa. He is from Kraków. On means he, and jest means is. Just like with England, the city Kraków changes its ending because of the word from. It becomes Krakowa.

On jest z Krakowa. — He's from Kraków. · on yest z krah-KOH-vah

Try saying that about Kuba. He is from Kraków. Say: On jest z Krakowa.

On jest z Krakowa. — He's from Kraków. · on yest z krah-KOH-vah

Alright, let's take a quick breath and review what we've picked up so far. Kuba asked: Skąd jesteś? Tom answered: Jestem z Anglii. And Ola pointed out: On jest z Krakowa.

Back on the street, the morning quiet is broken by the sharp click of sensible heels. It's Pani Kowalska, returning from the bakery. She pauses, observing the little group.

Dzień dobry. A skąd pan jest, jeśli można spytać?

A skąd pan jest, jeśli można spytać? — And where are you from, if I may ask? · ah skont pan yest, YESH-lee MOZH-nah SPY-tatch

Ooh, a shift in register! Pani Kowalska doesn't use the casual jesteś with Tom. She uses pan jest. Skąd pan jest. Literally, from where is the gentleman? It's the proper, formal way to ask a man where he's from.

A skąd pan jest, jeśli można spytać? — And where are you from, if I may ask? · ah skont pan yest, YESH-lee MOZH-nah SPY-tatch

And she adds a beautifully polite phrase at the end: jeśli można spytać. If it is possible to ask. If I may ask. Try just the main question with me, respectfully: A skąd pan jest, jeśli można spytać?

A skąd pan jest, jeśli można spytać? — And where are you from, if I may ask? · ah skont pan yest, YESH-lee MOZH-nah SPY-tatch

Tom stands a little taller. He remembers from the other day how to handle formal situations. He gives her a polite nod.

Dzień dobry pani. Jestem z Anglii.

Pani Kowalska gives a single, approving nod. The fact that he used pani and answered correctly scores him massive points. She continues on her way.

But as she leaves, Tom's shoulders drop. He looks at Kuba, and at Ola. He managed the answers, but saying he's from England just highlights the truth: he's an outsider here. He sighs and speaks the truest sentence he owns right now.

Nie jestem stąd.

Nie jestem stąd. — I'm not from here. · nyeh YES-tem stont

Nie jestem stąd. I am not from here. Nie means no or not. We know jestem is I am. And stąd means from here. Notice it has that same a with a tail, sounding like on before the d. Stąd.

Nie jestem stąd. — I'm not from here. · nyeh YES-tem stont

This is a great phrase when you're traveling or lost. Say it with me, nice and smooth. Nie jestem stąd. One more time: Nie jestem stąd.

Nie jestem stąd. — I'm not from here. · nyeh YES-tem stont

Kuba slaps Tom on the shoulder. He might be a fast-talking music nerd, but he gets it. Kuba grins and says something Tom doesn't quite catch, but Ola translates.

He says it doesn't matter, Kamil translates Ola translating Kuba. He says you're here now. And he wants to know if you like pierogi, because his grandma is making a mountain of them tonight.

Tom might not be from here, but it looks like he's having dinner here. A mountain of pierogi sounds like a pretty good way to bridge the gap.

Before Tom heads off to potentially embarrass himself at a Polish dinner table, let's recap today's phrases. Skąd jesteś? Jestem z Anglii. On jest z Krakowa. A skąd pan jest, jeśli można spytać? Nie jestem stąd.

Will Tom survive dinner at a Polish grandmother's house? You'll have to come back to find out. We drop new episodes every Tuesday and Friday, so make sure to subscribe and learn Polish just by living here with us. Do zobaczenia!