Ziutek
3 Oct 2017
Language / The use of 'sobie' in Poland's language [16]
@mafketis
Are perfectives other than the po- form allowed? eg przeczytać sobie?
@mafketis
Are perfectives other than the po- form allowed? eg przeczytać sobie?
Ziutek
3 Oct 2017
Language / The use of 'sobie' in Poland's language [16]
I always think of it as meaning "having a read of ..." but I'm not a native speaker, so maybe I've not caught the nuance exactly.
I always think of it as meaning "having a read of ..." but I'm not a native speaker, so maybe I've not caught the nuance exactly.
Ziutek
31 Aug 2017
Real Estate / Tax on UK rental income, while residency in Poland [11]
In general, tax is paid in the country in which you are resident. There are a few cases where it is paid in the country in which the money is earned, rental income being one of these. I am not an expert, but my reading of the UK-Poland double taxation treaty is that the other country does not have the right to tax that income at all, meaning that if you have a tax allowance in the country where the property is, you get to keep it. I tested this by downloading some Polish tax-declaration software and trying some imaginary scenarios and it although I was required to declare the UK income, it did not affect the amount of tax payable. I wasn't asked how much tax I had paid in the UK so that the Urząd Skarbowy could use that as an allowance against tax payable in Poland for example. Since I am still officially UK resident, I have not tested this conclusion in real life.
However, it seems to me that your situation is different since it is not you, but your mother who is earning the income from the property. The fact that you are receiving the money means she is passing it on as a gift. I don't know if there is any special treatment for gifts, but I would guess that they count as normal income, which would be liable for taxation in Poland.
In general, tax is paid in the country in which you are resident. There are a few cases where it is paid in the country in which the money is earned, rental income being one of these. I am not an expert, but my reading of the UK-Poland double taxation treaty is that the other country does not have the right to tax that income at all, meaning that if you have a tax allowance in the country where the property is, you get to keep it. I tested this by downloading some Polish tax-declaration software and trying some imaginary scenarios and it although I was required to declare the UK income, it did not affect the amount of tax payable. I wasn't asked how much tax I had paid in the UK so that the Urząd Skarbowy could use that as an allowance against tax payable in Poland for example. Since I am still officially UK resident, I have not tested this conclusion in real life.
However, it seems to me that your situation is different since it is not you, but your mother who is earning the income from the property. The fact that you are receiving the money means she is passing it on as a gift. I don't know if there is any special treatment for gifts, but I would guess that they count as normal income, which would be liable for taxation in Poland.
Ziutek
28 Aug 2017
Food / Indian/Bangladeshi grocery store in Gdansk [9]
What is/was it called? The only shop I can find that might match your description is Kuchnie Świata but that isn't specifically Asian.
What is/was it called? The only shop I can find that might match your description is Kuchnie Świata but that isn't specifically Asian.
Ziutek
23 Aug 2017
Food / Indian/Bangladeshi grocery store in Gdansk [9]
@Dougpol1 - What's it called? I can't find it.
@Dougpol1 - What's it called? I can't find it.
Ziutek
2 May 2017
Law / Confirmation of Polish Citizenship - how to obtain required documents? [11]
That's quite a long list of required documents they've got there. However, the list on the website of the Polish Embassy is shorter:
london.mfa.gov.pl/en/consular_information/citizenship/confirmation and only mentions parents' passports as an example
of "other documents confirming Polish ancestry"
Your parents' birth certificates prove that they had citizenship before your birth. I don't know if countries keep records of passports issued.
That's quite a long list of required documents they've got there. However, the list on the website of the Polish Embassy is shorter:
london.mfa.gov.pl/en/consular_information/citizenship/confirmation and only mentions parents' passports as an example
of "other documents confirming Polish ancestry"
Your parents' birth certificates prove that they had citizenship before your birth. I don't know if countries keep records of passports issued.
Ziutek
1 May 2017
Law / Confirmation of Polish Citizenship - how to obtain required documents? [11]
Hi Ewa. I'm going through this process at the moment. The necessary and sufficient condition for you to confirm your citizenship is that one of your parents was Polish when you were born. What this means in practice is that a) they had it before you were born. b) they didn't lose it/renounce it at least until after you were born. a) is proven by the birth certificate. If the passport you have is dated after your birth, you will also have proof of b). Who is telling you that you need the passports they emigrated with?
Hi Ewa. I'm going through this process at the moment. The necessary and sufficient condition for you to confirm your citizenship is that one of your parents was Polish when you were born. What this means in practice is that a) they had it before you were born. b) they didn't lose it/renounce it at least until after you were born. a) is proven by the birth certificate. If the passport you have is dated after your birth, you will also have proof of b). Who is telling you that you need the passports they emigrated with?
Ziutek
7 Mar 2017
Law / Confirmation of Polish Citizenship - how to obtain required documents? [11]
To be honest, I've been pleasantly surprised by the polish officials I've met so far, but perhaps that is because I'm dealing with the urząd wojewódzki in Gdańsk rather than an embassy. But I think you are right, asking exactly what they want before I spend a fortune with the Home Office and MOD is probably a sensible move.
Thanks for the help anyway.
To be honest, I've been pleasantly surprised by the polish officials I've met so far, but perhaps that is because I'm dealing with the urząd wojewódzki in Gdańsk rather than an embassy. But I think you are right, asking exactly what they want before I spend a fortune with the Home Office and MOD is probably a sensible move.
Thanks for the help anyway.
Ziutek
7 Mar 2017
Law / Confirmation of Polish Citizenship - how to obtain required documents? [11]
@delphiandomine
Thanks. I'll ring the MOD tomorrow and see if they can help. The problem with the record locating service, though, is that it doesn't confirm that someone didn't serve.
I've also found this
gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/261392/form_nq.pdf
which for £198 will confirm that someone didn't gain UK citizenship after 1986, which isn't going to help me much because my dad was born in 1921.
@delphiandomine
Thanks. I'll ring the MOD tomorrow and see if they can help. The problem with the record locating service, though, is that it doesn't confirm that someone didn't serve.
I've also found this
gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/261392/form_nq.pdf
which for £198 will confirm that someone didn't gain UK citizenship after 1986, which isn't going to help me much because my dad was born in 1921.
Ziutek
7 Mar 2017
Law / Confirmation of Polish Citizenship - how to obtain required documents? [11]
I am a UK citizen applying for confirmation of Polish citizenship on the basis that my father, who is now deceased, was Polish. I have received today a letter asking for the following supplementary information:
1) a document confirming possession or non-possession of British citizenship by my father, issued by the relevant British authority.
2) a statement by the relevant authority as to whether he did military service.
I know for a fact that the answer to these questions is that he neither had citizenship nor did military service, but the question is which are relevant authorities that I should apply to to confirm this?
Thanks in advance for any help.
I am a UK citizen applying for confirmation of Polish citizenship on the basis that my father, who is now deceased, was Polish. I have received today a letter asking for the following supplementary information:
1) a document confirming possession or non-possession of British citizenship by my father, issued by the relevant British authority.
2) a statement by the relevant authority as to whether he did military service.
I know for a fact that the answer to these questions is that he neither had citizenship nor did military service, but the question is which are relevant authorities that I should apply to to confirm this?
Thanks in advance for any help.
Ziutek
8 Feb 2017
Real Estate / Tax on UK rental income, while residency in Poland [11]
@terri
I don't think that's correct. See here:
gov.uk/tax-uk-income-live-abroad/personal-allowance
@terri
I don't think that's correct. See here:
gov.uk/tax-uk-income-live-abroad/personal-allowance
Ziutek
8 Feb 2017
Real Estate / Tax on UK rental income, while residency in Poland [11]
@inkrakow
Thanks for your detailed answer.
In the end I got hold of a piece of software for calculating Polish tax and played around with some numbers. Although there was a section for providing information about foreign rental income, this had no effect on the tax payable in Poland. This fits with my provisional understanding of the relevant parts of the double taxation treaty which says that tax on rental income is payable in the country where it is earned, but not being any kind of expert, I wasn't sure that it was only payable there. My conclusion now is that that is the case.
@inkrakow
Thanks for your detailed answer.
In the end I got hold of a piece of software for calculating Polish tax and played around with some numbers. Although there was a section for providing information about foreign rental income, this had no effect on the tax payable in Poland. This fits with my provisional understanding of the relevant parts of the double taxation treaty which says that tax on rental income is payable in the country where it is earned, but not being any kind of expert, I wasn't sure that it was only payable there. My conclusion now is that that is the case.
Ziutek
25 Jan 2017
Real Estate / Tax on UK rental income, while residency in Poland [11]
I am considering becoming tax-resident in Poland. As I receive rental income from a property in the UK, the tax situation isn't completely clear to me. As I understand it:
- I would continue to be liable for income tax in the UK because rental income is always taxed in the jurisdiction in which it was earned. As a UK citizen, I would be entitled to keep my personal allowance even though resident elsewhere.
- Owing to the double-taxation treaty between the UK and Poland, I would not then be liable to pay income tax again in Poland.
However, since the rental income falls below the personal tax allowance threhold, I will not actually pay any UK tax. How would this then be treated by the Polish tax authorities? Will they simply ignore it on the basis that I have fulfilled my UK obligations? Or will they consider the fact that I didn't make an actual payment grounds to impose Polish income tax?
Any help would be gratefully received!
I am considering becoming tax-resident in Poland. As I receive rental income from a property in the UK, the tax situation isn't completely clear to me. As I understand it:
- I would continue to be liable for income tax in the UK because rental income is always taxed in the jurisdiction in which it was earned. As a UK citizen, I would be entitled to keep my personal allowance even though resident elsewhere.
- Owing to the double-taxation treaty between the UK and Poland, I would not then be liable to pay income tax again in Poland.
However, since the rental income falls below the personal tax allowance threhold, I will not actually pay any UK tax. How would this then be treated by the Polish tax authorities? Will they simply ignore it on the basis that I have fulfilled my UK obligations? Or will they consider the fact that I didn't make an actual payment grounds to impose Polish income tax?
Any help would be gratefully received!
Ziutek
14 Mar 2016
Ziutek
31 Jan 2015
Language / Czego, Czemu, Co, Kto, Jak, Dlaczego? [64]
I think the answer you are looking for is something like this:
kto/co? - who/what?
kogo/co?- who/what?
kogo/czego? - of whom/what?
komu/czemu? - to/for whom/to/for what?
kim/czym? -by means of who/by means of what?
o kim/o czym?- about who/what?
However to write out the cases like this is neither comprehensive nor terribly helpful. For example, (as you point out) it doesn't account for the occasions when kogo/czego just means who/what nor does it clarify the difference between kto/co and kogo/co.
If I understand your question correctly, you are trying to find some unambiguous English translation of, say, kogo/czego in order to help you understand the meaning of mamy/chleba [genitive of mama (mum) and chleb (bread) respectively. But it doesn't work like that. Just as chleba can occur in various grammatical situations (Chleba nie ma - there's no bread, Potrzebujemy chleba - we need bread, Kupiłem dużo chleba - I bought a lot of bread. (only the last example corresponds to the understanding of the genitive as meaning "of" something)), so it is with czego (Czego nie ma? - What isn't there?, Czego potrzebujemy? - What do we need?, Dużo czego kupiłem ? -What did I buy a lot of?)
What you've been told about how Polish children is true, but it is simply to avoid using technical words like mianownik (nominative) and dopełniacz (genitive). Unfortunately it's not a shortcut to learning which cases to use where.
I think the answer you are looking for is something like this:
kto/co? - who/what?
kogo/co?- who/what?
kogo/czego? - of whom/what?
komu/czemu? - to/for whom/to/for what?
kim/czym? -by means of who/by means of what?
o kim/o czym?- about who/what?
However to write out the cases like this is neither comprehensive nor terribly helpful. For example, (as you point out) it doesn't account for the occasions when kogo/czego just means who/what nor does it clarify the difference between kto/co and kogo/co.
If I understand your question correctly, you are trying to find some unambiguous English translation of, say, kogo/czego in order to help you understand the meaning of mamy/chleba [genitive of mama (mum) and chleb (bread) respectively. But it doesn't work like that. Just as chleba can occur in various grammatical situations (Chleba nie ma - there's no bread, Potrzebujemy chleba - we need bread, Kupiłem dużo chleba - I bought a lot of bread. (only the last example corresponds to the understanding of the genitive as meaning "of" something)), so it is with czego (Czego nie ma? - What isn't there?, Czego potrzebujemy? - What do we need?, Dużo czego kupiłem ? -What did I buy a lot of?)
What you've been told about how Polish children is true, but it is simply to avoid using technical words like mianownik (nominative) and dopełniacz (genitive). Unfortunately it's not a shortcut to learning which cases to use where.
Ziutek
28 Jan 2015
Language / Correct grammatical use of mogę and mógłbym? [3]
mogę = may I, can I?
Mogę poprosić o menu? = May I ask for the menu?
Mógłbym = would I be able to? The use of the conditional here just adds an additional note of politeness.
Mógłbym poprosić o menu? = Would I be able to ask for the menu? More colloquially: "Could I possibly have the menu?"
mogę = may I, can I?
Mogę poprosić o menu? = May I ask for the menu?
Mógłbym = would I be able to? The use of the conditional here just adds an additional note of politeness.
Mógłbym poprosić o menu? = Would I be able to ask for the menu? More colloquially: "Could I possibly have the menu?"
Ziutek
23 Nov 2014
Travel / Christmas Fair in Gdańsk - worth visiting? [6]
But out of all the ones you've seen, which would you say was the best, if someone wanted to visit one and asked your opinion?
Poles can't do fairs.
But out of all the ones you've seen, which would you say was the best, if someone wanted to visit one and asked your opinion?
Ziutek
12 Nov 2014
Travel / Christmas Fair in Gdańsk - worth visiting? [6]
I have to agree with Scottie. However, the one in Wrocław is really special. The highlight for me was the Gnome pub which sells about 15 varieties of heated wines, beers and ciders, which are delicious and really hit the spot on a cold winter's evening. The one variety they sell in Gdańsk is unpalatable.
Is there a fair in Warsaw? What is it like?
I have to agree with Scottie. However, the one in Wrocław is really special. The highlight for me was the Gnome pub which sells about 15 varieties of heated wines, beers and ciders, which are delicious and really hit the spot on a cold winter's evening. The one variety they sell in Gdańsk is unpalatable.
Is there a fair in Warsaw? What is it like?
Ziutek
10 Sep 2014
UK, Ireland / Transferring money from Poland to UK [23]
InWroclaw - I have just checked current rates. At Barclays £10 000 would get you 45 000 zlotys. Most of the brokers on site I mentioned would give around 52 000 zlotys. That's 7000 zlotys for peace of mind.
The directors of Crown Currency Exchange are standing trial at the beginning of next year so I think it's fair to say that whatever went wrong there was not the result of inherent risks in the currency exchange business. Even their business model - allowing clients to buy foreign currency for delivery up to a year in advance and presumably holding on to their deposits - looks dodgy to say the least. Regular brokers take your payment and immediately pay out to your nominated account - the time the money is with them is exceedingly short.
However there is more good news:
MoneyCorp is owned by Royal Banks of Scotland.
All the companies are registered with the Financial Conduct Authority and maintain segregated accounts for client funds.
If you wanted to mitigate the risk even further, you could a strategy along the following lines. If you use a bank (I chose Barclays at random but all the high street banks have similar rates) you will lose 7000 zlotys with certainty. Therefore parcel your original £10000 into 8 chunks (£1250 = 6500 zlotys at a broker, so a little less than the 7000 ) and sent each separately, waiting for one chunk to be delivered before you sent the next one. In the unlikely event that the broker goes under you will then only have lost the same amount that you would have paid Barclays for their service. It's hassle, for sure, but beats being charged 14% of your money for essentially nothing.
InWroclaw - I have just checked current rates. At Barclays £10 000 would get you 45 000 zlotys. Most of the brokers on site I mentioned would give around 52 000 zlotys. That's 7000 zlotys for peace of mind.
The directors of Crown Currency Exchange are standing trial at the beginning of next year so I think it's fair to say that whatever went wrong there was not the result of inherent risks in the currency exchange business. Even their business model - allowing clients to buy foreign currency for delivery up to a year in advance and presumably holding on to their deposits - looks dodgy to say the least. Regular brokers take your payment and immediately pay out to your nominated account - the time the money is with them is exceedingly short.
However there is more good news:
MoneyCorp is owned by Royal Banks of Scotland.
All the companies are registered with the Financial Conduct Authority and maintain segregated accounts for client funds.
If you wanted to mitigate the risk even further, you could a strategy along the following lines. If you use a bank (I chose Barclays at random but all the high street banks have similar rates) you will lose 7000 zlotys with certainty. Therefore parcel your original £10000 into 8 chunks (£1250 = 6500 zlotys at a broker, so a little less than the 7000 ) and sent each separately, waiting for one chunk to be delivered before you sent the next one. In the unlikely event that the broker goes under you will then only have lost the same amount that you would have paid Barclays for their service. It's hassle, for sure, but beats being charged 14% of your money for essentially nothing.
Ziutek
9 Sep 2014
UK, Ireland / Transferring money from Poland to UK [23]
Don't do it through a bank - you will get an appalling exchange rate. The best way I have found is through a dedicated foreign exchange broker. Here is a page that gives a live comparison of rates: fx compared
transfer wise is also good but you don't know your final rate when you transact, which might be a problem for you.
Don't do it through a bank - you will get an appalling exchange rate. The best way I have found is through a dedicated foreign exchange broker. Here is a page that gives a live comparison of rates: fx compared
transfer wise is also good but you don't know your final rate when you transact, which might be a problem for you.
Ziutek
20 Jun 2014
News / Poland's interior minister and the central bank chief recorded [28]
I'd be interested in where you found this out. I've searched for it but can't find anything. If it's true, it seems to cast the whole affair in a completely new light, but so far the media doesn't seem to have picked up on it.
has his registered business address on Russian Embassy property.
I'd be interested in where you found this out. I've searched for it but can't find anything. If it's true, it seems to cast the whole affair in a completely new light, but so far the media doesn't seem to have picked up on it.
Ziutek
13 Jun 2014
Travel / Taxis from Gdansk airport? [65]
The 210 bus runs twice an hour on weekdays and once an hour at weekends.
Here is the timetable from the airport in the direction of the city centre (Dworzec Główny)
ztm.gda.pl/rozklady/rozklad-210_20140426-15-1.html
The 210 bus runs twice an hour on weekdays and once an hour at weekends.
Here is the timetable from the airport in the direction of the city centre (Dworzec Główny)
ztm.gda.pl/rozklady/rozklad-210_20140426-15-1.html
Ziutek
26 Mar 2014
Life / Are there Russian speakers living in Poland? [10]
There's a good map here: bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26713975
As you might expect, the former Soviet republics bordering Russia generally have the highest proportions of ethnic Russians.
There's a good map here: bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26713975
As you might expect, the former Soviet republics bordering Russia generally have the highest proportions of ethnic Russians.
Ziutek
26 Mar 2014
Life / Are there Russian speakers living in Poland? [10]
No. The main reason is that it was never part of the Soviet Union.
No. The main reason is that it was never part of the Soviet Union.
Ziutek
19 Mar 2014
Classifieds / Language exchange group, Tricity [60]
Maya, Snowflake - I went to this meeting for the first time last week. What happens is that someone gives a talk, apparently in a different language each week, on some travel related theme. After the talk most people seemed to be speaking English so it's probably perfect for what you want. I'll probably go again tomorrow so I might see you there!
Maya, Snowflake - I went to this meeting for the first time last week. What happens is that someone gives a talk, apparently in a different language each week, on some travel related theme. After the talk most people seemed to be speaking English so it's probably perfect for what you want. I'll probably go again tomorrow so I might see you there!
Ziutek
18 Mar 2014
Classifieds / Language exchange group, Tricity [60]
Trying to PM me? I've still not go anything from you ...
Trying to PM me? I've still not go anything from you ...
Ziutek
18 Mar 2014
Classifieds / Language exchange group, Tricity [60]
Would there be any interest in meeting in Gdansk Old Town on Tuesday mornings?
Would there be any interest in meeting in Gdansk Old Town on Tuesday mornings?
Ziutek
12 Mar 2014
Classifieds / Language exchange group, Tricity [60]
It's gratifying that this seems to be attracting renewed interest, but in contrast to last time, there seems to be a surfeit of Polish speakers and a dearth of English speakers. In fact the only English speaker is me! Are there any other English speakers out there in 3City who would like to improve their Polish? We currently have two or three Polish people, me, and maybe one Finnish guy who speaks English fluently.
It's gratifying that this seems to be attracting renewed interest, but in contrast to last time, there seems to be a surfeit of Polish speakers and a dearth of English speakers. In fact the only English speaker is me! Are there any other English speakers out there in 3City who would like to improve their Polish? We currently have two or three Polish people, me, and maybe one Finnish guy who speaks English fluently.
Ziutek
10 Mar 2014
Classifieds / Language exchange group, Tricity [60]
We stopped having meetings but if there is interest there is always the possibility of starting again. Coincidentally, I spoke yesterday to someone who may also be interested.
Feel free to PM me if you would like to discuss it further.
We stopped having meetings but if there is interest there is always the possibility of starting again. Coincidentally, I spoke yesterday to someone who may also be interested.
Feel free to PM me if you would like to discuss it further.
Ziutek
17 Nov 2013