Fablingo / Fablingo Polish / Level pre-A1
Episode 08 · At Pani Kowalska's Desk
Duration: 6:45
After this lesson you can:
Greet politely, make a polite request, give your name properly, take polite leave.
In this episode
The rented room drags paperwork behind it, and paperwork sends Tom to the urząd and Pani Kowalska's desk — his first cool brush with the official world and a fully polite register start to finish: dzień dobry, jest pan umówiony? · proszę o pana nazwisko · chwileczkę, proszę. She is all form and distance, but sends him off with do widzenia — polite as a wall for now, a warmth-in-waiting that will later turn to respect.
Welcome back to Kazimierz. Over the last few days, Tom has started piecing this neighbourhood together. He has a favourite corner café, a fiercely loyal seven-year-old friend, and he's finally learning how to introduce himself to the locals.
But living somewhere isn't just about drinking tea and making friends. Tom's rented attic room comes with paperwork, which means he has to visit the local government office. The urząd.
Inside, the air is quiet. People clutch numbered tickets. Behind a very tidy desk sits Pani Kowalska. She is the gatekeeper of stamps and signatures. Polite, professional, and entirely unbribable.
Tom approaches her desk. He knows the friendly, casual Polish he uses with Kuba won't work here. He needs to be on his best behaviour.
Dzień dobry. Jest pan umówiony?
Dzień dobry. Jest pan umówiony? — Good morning. Do you have an appointment? (to a man) · JEEN DOH-bri. YEST pahn oo-moo-VYOH-ni?
Let's look at what she just said. Dzień dobry. Jest pan umówiony? It means, Good morning. Do you have an appointment?
Dzień dobry. Jest pan umówiony? — Good morning. Do you have an appointment? (to a man) · JEEN DOH-bri. YEST pahn oo-moo-VYOH-ni?
Notice the word pan. She isn't using the casual 'you'. In formal situations, Polish uses pan for a man and pani for a woman. She is asking literally, Is sir appointed?
Dzień dobry. Jest pan umówiony? — Good morning. Do you have an appointment? (to a man) · JEEN DOH-bri. YEST pahn oo-moo-VYOH-ni?
The tricky word here is umówiony. The ó sounds like 'oo', and the w sounds like 'v'. Say it with me. Dzień dobry. Jest pan umówiony?
Dzień dobry. Jest pan umówiony? — Good morning. Do you have an appointment? (to a man) · JEEN DOH-bri. YEST pahn oo-moo-VYOH-ni?
Let's try it again, a little slower. Dzień dobry. Jest pan umówiony?
Dzień dobry. Jest pan umówiony? — Good morning. Do you have an appointment? (to a man) · JEEN DOH-bri. YEST pahn oo-moo-VYOH-ni?
Tom nods, relieved he understood that much, and slides his printed email across the desk. Tak. Dzień dobry.
Proszę o pana nazwisko.
Proszę o pana nazwisko. — Your surname, please. · PROH-sheh oh PAH-nah nah-ZVEES-koh.
Proszę o pana nazwisko. This means, Your surname, please. Or literally, I ask for the gentleman's surname.
Proszę o pana nazwisko. — Your surname, please. · PROH-sheh oh PAH-nah nah-ZVEES-koh.
In English, we often just say 'What's your name?' But in a Polish office, they specifically want your nazwisko. That's your family name. The w sounds like a v. Nazwisko.
Proszę o pana nazwisko. — Your surname, please. · PROH-sheh oh PAH-nah nah-ZVEES-koh.
Try asking for it politely, just like her. Say, Proszę o pana nazwisko.
Proszę o pana nazwisko. — Your surname, please. · PROH-sheh oh PAH-nah nah-ZVEES-koh.
A little slower. Proszę o pana nazwisko.
Proszę o pana nazwisko. — Your surname, please. · PROH-sheh oh PAH-nah nah-ZVEES-koh.
Tom remembers Kuba asking Jak masz na imię? on the street a few days ago. But he instinctively knows he shouldn't use that casual street phrase here. He needs the formal way to state his full name.
Nazywam się Tom Hall.
Nazywam się Tom Hall. — My name is Tom Hall. · nah-ZIH-vahm sheh Tom Hall.
Nazywam się Tom Hall. This is the gold standard for introducing yourself formally. It translates to 'I call myself', and it's perfect for giving your first and last name.
Nazywam się Tom Hall. — My name is Tom Hall. · nah-ZIH-vahm sheh Tom Hall.
The y is a short 'ih' sound. Say it with me. Nazywam się.
Nazywam się Tom Hall. — My name is Tom Hall. · nah-ZIH-vahm sheh Tom Hall.
Now say it again, and mentally add your own name at the end. Nazywam się...
Nazywam się Tom Hall. — My name is Tom Hall. · nah-ZIH-vahm sheh Tom Hall.
Let's pause and review the formal phrases we've heard so far. Dzień dobry. Jest pan umówiony? Dzień dobry. Jest pan umówiony? Good morning. Do you have an appointment? Proszę o pana nazwisko. Proszę o pana nazwisko. Your surname, please. Nazywam się Tom Hall. Nazywam się Tom Hall. My name is Tom Hall.
Pani Kowalska nods slowly. She turns to her computer monitor, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. She needs to check the system.
Chwileczkę, proszę.
Chwileczkę, proszę. — One moment, please. · hvee-LECH-keh, PROH-sheh.
Chwileczkę, proszę. One moment, please. This is a wonderfully polite phrase. 'Chwila' means a moment, and 'chwileczkę' makes it a tiny, polite little moment.
Chwileczkę, proszę. — One moment, please. · hvee-LECH-keh, PROH-sheh.
It looks intimidating, but let's break it down. The c-h makes a hard 'h' sound. The w is a 'v'. And the c-z is the 'ch' in church. Finally, that little tail on the e makes it a nasal 'en' sound. Chwileczkę.
Chwileczkę, proszę. — One moment, please. · hvee-LECH-keh, PROH-sheh.
Say it with me. Chwileczkę, proszę.
Chwileczkę, proszę. — One moment, please. · hvee-LECH-keh, PROH-sheh.
Again, let it flow naturally. Chwileczkę, proszę.
Chwileczkę, proszę. — One moment, please. · hvee-LECH-keh, PROH-sheh.
The printer whirs into life. Pani Kowalska pulls out a form, grabs a large wooden stamp, and thumps it onto the paper with tremendous authority. She slides it over to Tom.
Dziękuję. Do widzenia.
Dziękuję. Do widzenia. — Thank you. Goodbye. · jen-KOO-yeh. doh vee-DZEN-yah.
Dziękuję. Do widzenia. Thank you. Goodbye. This is the absolute safest, most polite way to exit any formal interaction in Poland.
Dziękuję. Do widzenia. — Thank you. Goodbye. · jen-KOO-yeh. doh vee-DZEN-yah.
Say it with me, nice and clearly. Dziękuję. Do widzenia.
Dziękuję. Do widzenia. — Thank you. Goodbye. · jen-KOO-yeh. doh vee-DZEN-yah.
As Tom turns to leave, Pani Kowalska gives the absolute tiniest, almost imperceptible nod of respect. He played by the rules. He used the right register. She is a wall for now, but a wall that just let him through.
Before we go, let's review today's formal phrases. Dzień dobry. Jest pan umówiony? Dzień dobry. Jest pan umówiony? Good morning. Do you have an appointment? Proszę o pana nazwisko. Proszę o pana nazwisko. Your surname, please. Nazywam się Tom Hall. Nazywam się Tom Hall. My name is Tom Hall. Chwileczkę, proszę. Chwileczkę, proszę. One moment, please. Dziękuję. Do widzenia. Dziękuję. Do widzenia. Thank you. Goodbye.
Tom has his paperwork, but more importantly, he knows how to hold his own in the formal world. Join us on Tuesday and Friday for new episodes, as Tom takes his stamped paper and starts to make this city his home. Do widzenia!
Vocabulary
| Phrase | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Dzień dobry. Jest pan umówiony? | Good morning. Do you have an appointment? (to a man) | |
| Proszę o pana nazwisko. | Your surname, please. | |
| Nazywam się Tom Hall. | My name is Tom Hall. | |
| Chwileczkę, proszę. | One moment, please. | |
| Dziękuję. Do widzenia. | Thank you. Goodbye. |
Grammar in this lesson
fully polite/formal register start to finish (item 6) — the ear now separates Pani Kowalska's proszę / jest pan…? from a mate's blunt line; Pan/Pani takes the 3rd person (jest pan…? = lit. "is the gentleman…?"), felt not explained; nazywam się… as the formal naming chunk (item 12); politeness formulas (item 8). The ONLY stiff-officialese voice.