Learning Polish to communicate with my boyfriend's family - where to start?

I'm new here so please be gentle:) I have been dating a polish guy for 2 years now his family came to canada 10 years ago when he was 14 so he has a fairly firm grasp on the english language however, whenever his parents come to visit or when his extended family comes from poland who do not speak any english i am pretty much lost in translation. I would love to learn enough polish to be able to communicate with his family particularly his mother who never really found much use for learning english as she always spoke polish at home and never worked she knows enough english to get by but i think she would be more comfortable and we could have a better relationship if i could speak to her in polish. Any advice on where to go to start learning polish and the best ways to learn the language would be greatly appreciated.

thanks Carrie

I would say that you need a teacher, get some lessons regularly, do your homework etc.! :-)

Find out how you learn best, what kind of a learner are you and then start learning. When learning pick something that interests you also, don't always stick with boring textbooks.

Powodzenia hej!

are you in canada? I have a school Polish in london (UK), we do skape teaching but Canada might be too far - but denfinitely I would advise a good teacher and a course to start with

best luck
Edyta

i am in Canada.... i have found someone to help me with polish though but thank you :)

I noticed a lot of Canadians on here, more than I expect so I don't feel alone~
I hope to learn enough Polish to be able to talk to my boyfriend's parents when I go to Poland in two years. If you had a family that can speak Polish than it would be easier to pick it up and use it daily, if not than find friends or ask your boyfriend.

A lot of Polish people on Interpals wouldn't mind helping you :) .

yes we canadians are everywhere... it is part of our quiet plot to overtake the world :)
my boyfriend has zero patience he tries but he just gets all yelly so i dont bother anymore friggen hot temepered man. i found someone who is willing to give me lessons over skype i can tell him i love you in polish now so thats nice

I don't know much about your boyfriend, but from what you have written he doesn't seem very nice. No one deserves to be treated like this, you should consider if he is the man for you.

my boyfriend is very good to me... i dont know if you only read this part of the thread or the rest but ... i meant when trying to teach me polish he gets iritated easily, someones personality trait being short tempered doesnt mean they arent the one for me he is just a man of little patience. He is very supportive of my learning polish and agrees i will learn better if someone else teaches me ... he is not a teacher.

Yes, I only read that part of the thread. It is good that he is good to you, best of luck learning polish. Powodzenia hej :-)

Hi, I'm from Poland and I would like to learn English for my proffesional work. If you want we can help each other :)

Merged: My language

Hello everyone.

I have been with my polish partner for 3 years. We are very much in love , i cant imagine being with anyone else . I want to grow old and marry this man. We live together in Ireland. He is from poland but has lived in ireland more than 10 years. His english is brilliant . I have met his family and have visited poland and had wonderful time. The only problem is language . I know few polish words and can understand things from certain polish connversations. I would truely love to speak fluent polish and i know it will take long time but i am willing to do anything. I want our children to speak both english and polish and i want to be able to phone his parents and speak to them etc . Can you please help me and give me advice on where to start, learning methods etc . I love this man and i am willing to try . This man has never pushed me to learn polish and is very supportive , he translates for me but i know deep down in his heart he would really love me to learn.

All help would be appreciated thank you

xxx

Do the Berlitz (language aschool) people have an outlet in Ireland? Theri total-immersion method is about the best to quickly learn a foreign tongue.

The Berlitz method is little more than discredited rubbish.

come to poland, enroll in an intensive polish class. for instance, the ones organized by Wroclaw University of Tech or Lodz University and trust me, in 6 months you'll be speaking polish that makes sense....like me. but well that depends also on how fast you grab things as the polish grammar is way "off". all the best.

also speak with your bf in polish ;)

Hi Ireland ,

I live in Co.Clare and we could arrange something if you were still interested. :)

Best of luck.

Hi Ireland,

I was wondering if you have found somone here in Ireland or still need help learning Polish.

Best,

@ireland

Couldn't you just start by asking your boyfriend how to say different phrases in Polish?

You could also download the audio to Colloquial Polish by Bolesław W.Mazur (for free) and learn phrases using that, then practice them with your boyfriend.

routledgetextbooks.com/textbooks/colloquial/language/polish.php