Language / I want to learn Polish. Where to start? [180]

cześc.

I'm an English man living in London and i just started to learn Polish (of course this is woman related!). I downloaded the basic Pimsleur program and found it works rather well for speaking, but not always good for hearing what is being said.

I just downloaded the Rosetta Stone software too, I wasn't convinced by the demo but I think it will work well with the Full 30-Pimsleur audio which I also just obtained(I like the re-mix Pimsleur idea above!) and will try to get this "Learn in 4 weeks" book that you all speak of.

Like I said it is still early for me, though I don't seem to have trouble with pronunciation, and the 'R's are ok for me!

Is there any other advice you can give to me at this stage?

I may need some help with messages online, i have been conversing but finding it difficult as Pimsleur does not help much with reading/writing. I tried some online translation tools but they are dreadfully inaccurate, as an example I had an amusing episode confusing the words for 'friend' and 'brick'!!

Then I found this site!! Just what I was looking for, thank you all for being here.

This is the last post I will write in total English, I may start a thread logging my progress if it doesn't offend anyone. It might help others like me.

Any help greatfully appreciated!

Kem.

Language / Polish sayings [236]


That is fantastic, and I am totally ripping that off to various profiles of mine, I love music!

Life / Polish and Czechs [190]

This thread reminds me of a conversation i had recently with friends, i know Polish, Czech and Slovak people who all understand much of what they each say. After learning this a couple of my English friends said that it makes sense, what with the countries being so close, Yugoslavia, USSR, blah blah...

So i asked them how many words they knew in Welsh, Celt or Gaelic (Scotts and Irish lingos) and funny enough, they didnt know any!

But then thats probably just the English ignorance and our meglomanical expectations that the whole world should speak English.

Cest la vie.... oh no wait, wrong language... aww who cares, its all Europe right?

... erm, whats the relationship between Poland and France like? do they hate you guys too?

Language / I want to learn Polish. Where to start? [180]

dziękuję Free Spirit, i have the book ordered from Amazon so now i just wait.

That DVD looks interesting, i'll start with this Rosetta thing and see how that goes, what does Uczmy się Polskiego translate as exactly?

my best efforts come out as both:
"Lets learn Polish"
and
"Teach Yourself Polish"

Life / Polish and Czechs [190]

Rofl!!

oh wait, whats Rofl in Polish?

Life / Polish and Czechs [190]

Well they don't eat ours, you should be proud!

Language / I want to learn Polish. Where to start? [180]

Yeah thats my angle too right now, whats your reason for wanting to learn?

Life / Drinking games in Poland [44]

Good question, surely Ring of Fire is international?

Life / Drinking games in Poland [44]

There is a similar rule in Ring of fire,szarlotka.

This is a vid of my friend Loki (may not be his real name!) explaining the rules of:

youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=h_9ziBUgL2Y

However he is drunk, so it may not make total sense!!

Its a lethal game to play the first time, you have no chance of remembering the rules, and punishments can get pretty heavy!

Life / Drinking games in Poland [44]


Now there is a game i would happily lose!!!


I played an Anne Summers drinking game once, got very, erm...

whats Polish for 'Debauchery'?

Life / Fashion and Style in Poland [174]

This is very true, even as a guy I sometimes can't help getting all 'Peacock' when I'm up in London Town!

Was at the banksy.co.uk art exhibit in Kensington today actually, it stinks of bad, expensive fashion up there but they still think my tattered jeans and crimson hair is some kind of European fashion statement!

You girls should do 'Polish fashion' makeovers for anyone visiting Poland!

Life / Fashion and Style in Poland [174]

I know, so much for the non-commercial artist!


So what do you think will be this years 'pastel passion'?
Maybe i could make a profit from exporting Primarks finest!

Life / Fashion and Style in Poland [174]

Hmm, Green is big here right now, but has to be 'angry' army green and camo.

Polka dots soo don't go with my hair but stripes are even less becoming of the slender gent. How about zig-zags?

Mono-chrome zig-zags? I have these amazing shoes that would go with that, and ear-rings to DIE for!!!

Ya know its bad when you dont buy 'clothes' anymore, you buy 'outfits' instead...

Life / Fashion and Style in Poland [174]


Thats about the best description i've ever heard for it! i am soo totally stealing that phrase off you!

The closest i get to Dots is a Pac-Man t-shirt, but I'm warming to the idea of some kind of Polka-dotted jeans....

with matching hat, of course.

Life / Fashion and Style in Poland [174]


Then we are agreed! now lets go get a Orange Mocha Frappuccino!

(dear Mods: its fashion related, honest!)

Life / Fashion and Style in Poland [174]

Just out of interest, was his dress sense that bad before that you needed to save him?

Much credit to you if you get a picture of him wearing Polka dot jeans!!

I applaud your efforts girl, some guys have no idea...

Life / Fashion and Style in Poland [174]



I think i missed summink here, is there a song about me in Poland? he he
::EDIT:: oh i get ya, the Wham song! i hope you got the reference, Zoolander is an awesome film!


I doubt it, but they should!

Language / I want to learn Polish. Where to start? [180]


I have learned more Polish in two weeks than i ever learned in 5 years of French class in school.
It was only after i left that i began to learn anything useful in French!


Totally! I find swear words are always the most useful thing to learn first in a foreign language...
La Haine is one of my faves, actually i watched it again just two nights ago!
And Betty Blue, but that really takes some effort and leaves you emotionally drained as its 3 hours long...

Going to watch Katyn tonight and test my Polish!!

On a more topical note: My 'Polish in 4 weeks' book arrived yesterday, it looks really good. I'm now using three things:

Pimsleur audio on my i-pod, because I can listen to it at work when i'm on the nightshift and get a good few hours to invest.

Good for = Pronounciation, basic, helpful phrases.

Rosetta Stone for the PC, not very good for explanation but a perfect assistant to the other methods i am using. I also use this really good pdf dictionary along with it, to help with some words that are not explained.

Good for Learning new and helpful words easily, its good to use if you cannot put in the mental energy for one of the other methods and can be quite fun and short-term rewarding. You will find yourself pointing at things in the street and saying:

"Thats a źółty samochód!!" *proud -face* :-)

Polish in 4 weeks which is a book course with accompanying CD and PC program. (though the CD-Rom is a little useless to be honest, you only need the CD). Only just started with this one but already i can see results, very good explanations, well laid out and easy to understand, it also includes exercises to test you which is something i have been lacking so far: being able to apply my new knowledge.

Good for Learning Polish! This will be the biggest help for learning to write in this new language, and read it. understanding all these complicated Polish Nouns, verbs etc, and their many variations. Highly recommended.

UK, Ireland / I have concerns over the British immigration policy so I wrote to my MP. [126]

Me too please.

Life / Fashion and Style in Poland [174]

Hmm... Ballet flats and leggings... Polka dot leggins'....

Not sure i've got the figure for that either. Lots of people round here like to go un-noticed hence the dark colours, but this just creates a starker difference between them and the more flamboyant populous, like shocking-red in mono-chrome art.

Lots of Earthy colours around these days too, i must admit i have quite a few browns in my wardrobe. And dark colours also, but i use my hair to offset that.

And hats, one can never underestimate the out-fit transforming properties of a good hat.

Is it wrong for a man to care so much about this stuff?!?!

Life / Fashion and Style in Poland [174]

Ah well, i wouldnt say that. Its not fashion i'm into really, i just like what i like and if i think it looks good and a little different then i tend to wear it. Not just for the sake of it or because *enter generic soulless* magazine said so.

Brands are for sheep

UK, Ireland / Time for the Poles from the UK to go home [437]


Is that full stop meant to be there?

coz seriously, i live here and i can tell you, most English people dont think at all!

he he

Language / I want to learn Polish. Where to start? [180]

Yeah someone pointed me to that before but i didnt have the time to look then, or now in fact! but i will. Anything that will help is good.

I kinda feel bad about today, i didnt get any lessons done, just pestered people on here and played Rainbow six 2 all day, but i was hung-over to be fair!

Back to crappy work tomorrow, Pimsleur in my teabreaks on the dayshift...

Life / Fashion and Style in Poland [174]


Ooh, you just reminded me of these rather frightening Emo crazes going round too, kids dressing like something from an Edward Scissor hands spin-off series, with half a hair cut and the remaining locks glued down one side of their faces.

Am i getting old? coz i just.dont.get.it!

Life / Fashion and Style in Poland [174]

Fashion, by definition, just means 'What everybody else likes'

Life / Fashion and Style in Poland [174]

*Chuckles*

Life / Fashion and Style in Poland [174]

Actually, now you mention Shellys (which you didnt, but your name is similar!)
They were the coolest shoe shop in London at one time, i remember paying £150 for a pair of 'Booga' boots about 10 years ago! (er, not that i'm that old, like)

shellys.co.uk

Life / Fashion and Style in Poland [174]

Aye, footware is very, VERY important but i refuse to spend silly money on shoes these days, wasted way to much cash in the past.

Cool doesnt have to mean expensive.

Love / What's the way to seduce a Polish girl ? [64]

*whistles while Arien digs his hole*

Love / What's the way to seduce a Polish girl ? [64]

well... only if you really look like your avatar!!

Slut = disposable woman: for the man with little time on his hands, less mess, less expense and now with an extra 20% less guilt!

so i hear....