Love / Anglo-bride at left? Polish bride at right? [9]

There are many possible explanations but I think it has something to do with practical things.
Polish knights and later nobles wore their swords (later sabres) on their's left side. If bride was on that side it would be uncomfortable and possibly dangerous.

I think that later around this practical, common sense behaviour grew symbolism and some superstitions (you can easily find some of them on internet). The right side is generaly considered as "better" than left in Poland.

It was considered (and still is by some) unrespectful to women to walk on their right side. When mesalliance wedding took place woman was on left side, to show that she have lower status and that she will not inherit title or any property of her husand. It was called "ślub z lewej ręki".

Language / 'lubię, lubisz' - Infinitive [86]

Yes, both of them are correct.

Law / karta pobytu for my husband (mexican national) [3]

I don't really know the procedures, but there were many threads about karta pobytu on polishforums. You should use browser on this site and read those threads, mayby you will find something useful there.

However the most accurate informations you will find in Polish embassy.

Genealogy / Searching for info on my Grandfather, Kolata [17]

Pearl and Gunia seem to me more like nicknames.


There is also Kolata surname in Poland, so it is not necessarily westernized form of Kołata.

Work / My friend is looking for a job in Poland with a physics degree [32]


If you have spare time you can read OP other posts, which would give you better understanding what idea about anything he have. Normally it's BS.

If his friend is the same, he should stay out of Poland.

Work / My friend is looking for a job in Poland with a physics degree [32]

If he is EMWawe friend I would rather not have him in Poland; regardless what degree he have.

UK, Ireland / WHAT IS IT ABOUT POLISH PEOPLE THAT MAKES THEM THINK THAT UK WANTS THEM? [309]

Another eyeopening excerpt from the survey:

"On the whole, immigrants from the ‘new’ member states of the EU did not rush to col-lect welfare benefits across the EU. Do Poles contribute more to the British social welfaresystem than they take from it? A report published by the British Centre for Research andAnalysis of Migration (CreAM) makes it very clear that Poles and immigrants from other‘new’ member states pay more into the state budget than they receive from it. This is due,amongst other things, to higher employment rates and the fact that they seldom apply forwelfare benefits. By comparison, 90% of immigrant men and 74% of women work, whereasthe corresponding figures for the working-age British population are 78% for men and 71%for women respectively. Moreover, according to CreAM, the probability that migrantsfrom the A8 countries (who have worked at least a year in Britain) will collect welfare ben-efits or live in council housing is 60% smaller than in the case of native British citizens."

Language / "Pamiętaj o śmierci" Is this correct? [24]


Neither is correct.
Pamiętaj o śmierci means that you will die and nothing can change that.
If you write in Polish Pamiętaj umrzeć or Pamiętaj żeby umrzeć it will mean that you should remember to die, because if you forget you might live forever :D, so don't you dare;)

Genealogy / Buczenski, Ostrowski and Matysiak. Discovering village/parish family came from? [6]

You should browse this site. There are many threads about genealogy.
You can find there about how to research your ancestry among other things.
There is also Polonius3 thread where he explains the meaning of Polish surnames. You should ask him, he is kind of expert in that matter on this site.

Language / "Pamiętaj o śmierci" Is this correct? [24]

Mayby the girl thinks she will go to heaven? Just guessing...

Language / "Pamiętaj o śmierci" Is this correct? [24]


NOOOO!!! Never that!!!
Czy aby na pewno znasz polski? Czy tylko chwalisz się tym w profilu?

Genealogy / My dad's last name was Polak - Do I look in any way Polish? [57]

Wow this picture was definetly made by feminists ;) Not one, single lady on this photo/picture was ugly, not even average.
I have a really hard time to pick the most beautifull. Probably I will end up choosing a few of them ;D
Btw, this is suppose to be typical/average for Miss Universe contestant? : )

Language / "Pamiętaj o śmierci" Is this correct? [24]

Pamiętaj o śmierci is correct. As ak already said it's fixed phrase in Polish just as "memento mori" in Latin.
You can write it as correct sentence with capital first letter or you can write it with only small letters (pamiętaj o śmierci).

UK, Ireland / Increasingly more Polish children born and educated in UK can't write/read! [51]

English Concerned is Polish Życzliwy. It's obvious how to treat such Concerned people. We had few of them recently, mainly non registered Concerned.
Życzliwi jak dla mnie mogą się wypchać ze swoimi życzliwymi poradami.

Genealogy / Seeking persons from Brzeziny [11]

There are 38 Brzeziny towns in Poland.

USA, Canada / Polonia who needs help with Polish Documentary [27]


That doesn't make me an expert in every area, especially when we are talking about hooliganism. You might not believe me, but I am not a hooligan ;)


I think that this kind of selfcensorship is bad. Poland didn't become european documentaries powerhouse because directors were considering if their movies will offend anybody or make Poland look bad. They simply showed how life in Poland looks like. Truth is always more interesting than propaganda (even positive propaganda). Finally during EURO we will have many guests/turists who will experience what Poland really is and non documentary will twist their view.


Not for me. Obviously poverty, lack of education and perspectives, but mayby not only.
I watch documentries constantly (it's my addiction), many were eyeopening for me. Even if some show twisted view of reality I am capable to recognize that and guess what are the reasons for that. I have faith in other people and their intelligence. They will be able to make distinction between serious documentary and propaganda.

Life / Moving to Poland - Wrocław/Gdańsk? [11]


It would be easier for you to find job in Wrocław. They try to make out of Wrocław Polish Silicon Valley ;)

USA, Canada / Polonia who needs help with Polish Documentary [27]

I don't get why you are getting so worked up by his project, unless you are hooligan fans;)
You haven't even seen his documentary and you don't know what is his take on this problem.
Hooligans are also a part of Polish society and a part of reality in Poland. You can't really say anything positive about them, but since when documentaries are made to satisfy everybody with stories from Fairyland. Mayby it's wishfull thinking but I would like to see in that documentary not only hooligans beating each other and devastating public property, but also explanation why are they becoming hooligans?, what social, economic etc. reasons make them like that? what our authorities doing with this problem? Are there somewhere in the world (or in Poland) any success stories about stopping hooligans and making them useful to society?

This site is not a product placement site where posters should write only positives about Poland to sell the only right (positive) view on Poland and Polish people. There are negatives, as everywhere in the world.

I have some issues with posters who lie about Poland on this site, but I don't have any with those who want to learn about Poland and maybe teach me something I already don't know.

Lets criticize after we see his movie, shall we?

USA, Canada / Polonia who needs help with Polish Documentary [27]


Yes it is. We have Euro in 2012 remember that? It's not unusual that football hooligans are in spotlight right now.


That is not exactly true, isn't it? Ever been on football match in Poland?
Another thing. It is funny that your nick is "inkrakow" and in the same city you have Wisła Kraków and Cracovia. This clubs fans hate eachother so much that it is a regular war everytime their teams play. This war is hardly unnoticed and started in 80s. Since last year, since murder of Cracovia hooligan fans leader ("Anty Wisła") another bloody war started. They are using knives, machetes and every avaiable for them weapon. This is no longer simply fist fight, they are killing each other.

Where are you hiding then if didn't noticed THAT?!
Kraków is hardcore case, but that sort of thing happends fairly often.
I have been on a match between Wisła Kraków and Korona Kielce. After that match Korona fan was killed by Wisła hooligan. This poor guy wasn't even hooligan, he simply came to watch match and after that he was killed simply because he had Korona T-shirt.

Don't try to make these hooligans seem not dangerous, they are. I believae that police during EURO 2012 will do their job and protect fans from these animals. They experience baptism of fire fairly often, they will be prepared.

USA, Canada / Polonia who needs help with Polish Documentary [27]

They do it all year long. There are "ustawki", when the opposing hooligan football fans choose a time and place for a "meeting". They beat the hell out of opposing "team". There is general rule that during ustawka you can't use weapons, only fists.

Travel / Is ice bathing common in Poland? [3]

They are very popular. There are lots of Kluby Morsów in Poland. I don't belong to one but saw them in action many times :)

There is also one (or two) school walrus club in Poland.
Press never cease to be amazed by them and because of that every winter they enjoy extensive press coverage.
Years ago I stumbled across a newspaper from the beginning of 80s. There was an article about Morsy. The only difference was that they were completly naked. Hardcores :D

Genealogy / Looking for family in Poland: Włodarski. [13]

Not Tadsik but Tadzik - diminutive form of Tadeusz.
I looked for Piotrkowska street in Skierniewice, but couldn't find anything. Maybe they changed the name of street.
Good luck with your search.

Love / 'Seks po polsku' - the sex lives of Poles: [45]

WOW, I admire your courage to confess that. Never occured to you that she didn't want to have sex with you (like...only you). Look in the mirror and look for answers.

Love / 'Seks po polsku' - the sex lives of Poles: [45]

Better speak for yourself MikeUSA.

Love / 'Seks po polsku' - the sex lives of Poles: [45]


LOL, and let my braincells die? NevAAARRRR!


Thats no brainer. The trick is how to not get pregnant and in ideal case to let kids be kids and prevent them from stupid actions.

Love / 'Seks po polsku' - the sex lives of Poles: [45]


That only proves that sex education in those countries is nonexistent.

Life / Anyone know of an English-language translation of "Kapuściński Non-Fiction", yet? [18]

Is it not inviting for you that some posters here are so Kapuściński crazed that they probably not only read all his books (when you start you can't stop) but also can't wait to get their hands on his boography?

Life / Anyone know of an English-language translation of "Kapuściński Non-Fiction", yet? [18]


as my dear cavemen friends.
If you would actually read one you might change your mind.

Genealogy / Looking for family in Poland: Włodarski. [13]

I don't know how to help you, but I am sure that you will find on this site somebody competent in ancestry/genealogy.
I can only help you with proper Polish writting of your family names.
Your great-grandfather name and surname requires Polish letter ł: Wacław Włodarski.
There is no such Polish name as Wiczek. I think that it is probably Witek, short form of Polish name Witold.
Your great-grandfather parents names were: Anna Włodarska and Józef Włodarski.

Polish names and surnames are declinated and have genders. Surnames ended with -ski means that it belong to male, and surname ended with -ska means it's female.

Włodarski (male)
Włodarska (female)


I think that there should be some records about his imprisonment in Germany. You can look also there, especially if your grandfather stayed there for few years after war ended.

Maybe you could also find records from USA, France, Greate Britain (depends in which occupation zone he stayed after war). Definitely that wasn't Russian zone, because he wouldn't be able to get out of there to go to Brazil.

Love / What are Polish Women like? Just started to date one. [256]


Interesting, what kind of different attitudes? Honestly asking, so don't worry I am not being sarcastic or anything.