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Short Polish<->English translations


Ironside 53 | 12,364
30 Jan 2021 #871
Psia krew, cholera. As with swearing and such there is no literal translation as it wouldn't make much sense. Google translate should do if you the trick if you want a literal translation.
mafketis 36 | 10,706
30 Jan 2021 #872
psia krew (dog blood)

cholera (cholera)

both are mild swear words... the second a little stronger than the first I think.
Lyzko 45 | 9,346
30 Jan 2021 #873
According to certain Forum members, both of the above are rather old-fashioned.
Lenka 5 | 3,418
30 Jan 2021 #874
Psiakrew is definitely getting out of fashion. Cholera still holds strong but I may be blinded as I like to use it :)
Miloslaw 19 | 4,664
30 Jan 2021 #875
@Lenka
I remember as a kid watching a huge downpour of rain through the window and shouting out "Cholera" and my mum chastising me for the use of that word.
Lyzko 45 | 9,346
30 Jan 2021 #876
I believe the expression du jour has become "kurwa", at least if certain 21st century films e.g. "Wesele" are any guide:-)
Ironside 53 | 12,364
31 Jan 2021 #877
I like to use it :

I swear in English even if I speak Polish... wonder why...hmmm

"kurwa",

Nah, that is word crutch for those with poor vocabulary and kurwa can mean anything from a strong swear words to a mild exclamation of wonder..

Hence i think it can be safely translated as F .... the same flexibility of usage depending on circumstances and intent.
mafketis 36 | 10,706
31 Jan 2021 #878
I swear in English even if I speak Polish..

By myself I often swear in Polish..... taboo words in a foreign language never have quite the same force as in a person's first language....
Ironside 53 | 12,364
31 Jan 2021 #879
By myself I often swear in Polish.

I don't swear that often plus I use euphemisms, I don't think it is a case of - as you put it - taboo words. As I find it to be more emotionally gratifyingly in those rare instances that I do swear.

I wonder why is that. I mean I would expect the reverse would make more sense. well...
Lyzko 45 | 9,346
31 Jan 2021 #880
Apropos many Europeans swear in English, but don't really speak it!
mafketis 36 | 10,706
31 Jan 2021 #881
many Europeans swear in English

There's also the thing where English swear words are incorporated into different European languages where they lose the force they have in English. I remember reading that Danes in international contacts need to be told ahead of time that casual use of the word 'fv(king' in English makes native speakers uncomfortable.

Similarly in German "Sh[tstorm" means something like 'kerfuffle' or 'contretemps'....
Lyzko 45 | 9,346
31 Jan 2021 #882
"Shitstorm" 's a great example. It only goes to show the difference between why the Europeans use English as opposed to why we Anglophones use words from European languages; the Poles, Germans etc. use English out of laziness whereas we do it out of cultural aesthetic:-)
relssek - | 1
4 Feb 2021 #883
Merged:

Need help reading this



Can someone help me translate this? Specialy Names, Places and Dates...

photos.app.goo.gl/pfqfuNxYLUU7Az619



mhurwicz 10 | 20
19 Feb 2021 #884
My grandmother used to use this phrase " Sha kreff ko Leda".

Bunky:
Psia krew! Cholera!!!

Mild swear words, literally, "Dog's blood! Cholera!"
mhurwicz 10 | 20
20 Feb 2021 #885
This is from a letter written in 1945. There are two words I can't get (indicated by question marks):

Muszę zwrócię się do Ciebie z ? ? prośba.

"I must turn to you with a ? ? request"

The full letter is here if you want to look at it:
[url=leonidhurwicz.org/letter-from-adek-lodz-nov-1945/][/url]



mhurwicz 10 | 20
20 Feb 2021 #886
I figured it out:
Muszę zwrócię się do Ciebie z jeszcze jedna prośba.

"I must turn to you with a one more request"
jon357 74 | 21,778
20 Feb 2021 #887
Muszę zwrócię się do Ciebie z ? ? prośba.

I have a request for you.
oscargerst - | 3
4 Mar 2021 #888
Merged:

Need help translating memory book page from 1929



My grandmother left Poland for the US in 1929 with her twin sister at age 14. Her twin died young from cancer but the family left my grandmother a memory book from 1929 in which my grandmother wrote a section. We recently found the book and we'd love to translate the page where my grandmother left a note for her sister.

Here is an image of the page where my grandmother drew a picture and wrote something:

ibb.co/64DGjgj (hopefully you can get to this link. It's just an image sharing site)

Thank you in advance!
oscargerst - | 3
5 Mar 2021 #889
Here is the image with reduced file size to translate. Thank you so much for looking at this!


  • The image
blair2000
6 Mar 2021 #890
Merged:

Help, please! I have a Polish character in my book and need some translation assistance



Hi, all! looking for help with a handful of dialogue/scenes that include bits of Polish .Appreciate any and all assistance!

1)
"It's been too long, you <zaciety> girl. I was afraid you were waiting for my funeral to visit again." Aneta's dry, papery cheek brushed hers and Stacia's eyes filled. It had been too long.

"Don't say such things," she scolded, but Aneta waved a hand.

2)
Stacia set her own cup down. Her gaze flickered to Matthias.
His expression was pained. "Forgive me, babciu, but I cannot do that."

3)
He eyed her as he poured a hefty shot of the śliwowica, downed it and poured another, then filled a glass for her.

4)
"Come to the table, Nastka." He tossed the words over his shoulder. "There are eggs and fruit. Also pączki. The little orange ones."

5)
"But she is policja?" Aneta insisted. "She would not hurt you?"

6)
Klaudia clearly had a good eye. She clapped once as Stacia studied herself in the mirrors. "Doskonały!" she breathed.
"It is perfect," Stacia agreed. "We'll take it."

7)
He touched her cheek with the back of his hand. "It's not the killing that's hard, moja królowo, it's the living with it."

8)
"You've called the policja? Nie," she whispered, yanking her hands away. "You can't."

9)
Lucjan gave him another once-over. "Fajnie." He turned to Squires. "Don't blame me if your man doesn't come back in one piece." Or at all.

10)
"That's it," he breathed. "Don't go anywhere, jedyna moja. Don't hide from me."

11)
"I didn't think it did, jedyna moja," he said softly.
mafketis 36 | 10,706
6 Mar 2021 #891
some random notes (from a non-native speaker but with decades of living in Poland)

<zaciety> girl.
- zacięta (but not the best word... not sure which would be better0

He eyed her as he poured a hefty shot of the śliwowica,

-not the most common or characteristic drink, maybe brandy or koniak or

"Come to the table, Nastka." He tossed the words over his shoulder. "There are eggs and fruit. Also pączki. The little orange ones."

-what is Nastka an abbreviation of?

-pączki are basically jelly donuts... how are they orange?

"But she is policja?" Aneta insisted. "She would not hurt you?"

-policja is 'police force' so maybe 'from (the) policja'
-when is this set? what time period? after WWII until 1989-90 or so Poland had milicja instead of policja

6)
Klaudia clearly had a good eye. She clapped once as Stacia studied herself in the mirrors. "Doskonały!" she breathed.
"It is perfect," Stacia agreed. "We'll take it."
-what is doskonały? what's the item?
-what is Stacia an abbreviation of?

7)
He touched her cheek with the back of his hand. "It's not the killing that's hard, moja królowo, it's the living with it."

-to me it would sound better without 'moja', that kind of possessive pronoun is often omitted in Polish

9)
Lucjan gave him another once-over. "Fajnie." He turned to Squires. "Don't blame me if your man doesn't come back in one piece." Or at all.

-fajnie sounds a bit dated (which might be fine)
Ironside 53 | 12,364
6 Mar 2021 #892
I have a request for you.

I have a favor to ask of you.

some

Can you tell me what do you expect us to do with it?
mafketis 36 | 10,706
6 Mar 2021 #893
Whatever you want.... agree, disagree, ignore.
gumishu 13 | 6,134
6 Mar 2021 #894
pączki are basically jelly donuts... how are they orange?

British donuts are orange-browne - Polish are most often brown

to me it would sound better without 'moja',

- in this sentence moja królowo fits MUCH better
Ironside 53 | 12,364
6 Mar 2021 #895
or

nalewki or wisniowki

zacięta (but not the best word.

depends on the context.

Nastka

As far as I know it either Anastazja or Konstancja, it could be from few other names, those who are using it know lol!

orange donuts - beat me - maybe with some orange flavor i.e. candied orange peel - why small? size has nothing to do with it.

she is a policewomen?

stacia? Maybe Stasia.
Doskonale? Doskonaly what the fudge? Some BS out of context.

moja krolowo is Ok in the context but that too cheesy and outdated like hell.
gumishu 13 | 6,134
6 Mar 2021 #896
śliwowica,

śliwowica is characteristically Eastern European - if the author aims at specific Polish flavour of the narration śliwowica fits there much better than your suggestions, mafketis
blair2000
6 Mar 2021 #897
zaciety

Thanks for all the help!

For this one, I'm aiming for 'crazy' girl, or maybe 'silly'?

With the donuts, I think I was just being unclear, talking about the kind with the candied orange peel on top. :)

doskonały

The item is a dress.

The book is modern day.

Fajnie

Is there an option more contemporary then?

moja krolowo is Ok in the context but that too cheesy and outdated like hell.

I was worried about that! Any suggestions on something that would sound more up to date? Is jedyna moja better? The character here is slightly old-fashioned in his temperament, but he is a young man (late 20s).

Also thanks for the options on the alcohol. I didn't want him forever drinking brandy, it's seems cliché for a Polish character.
mafketis 36 | 10,706
6 Mar 2021 #898
r 'crazy' girl,

szalona?

śliwowica is characteristically Eastern European

but in my experience not that common in Poland (I think of it as a Czech or Yugoslav, it might be more common in southern Poland...) but koniak... (nalewka would be good and very Polish but it's usually a lot weaker)

a dress would be doskonała
Ironside 53 | 12,364
6 Mar 2021 #899
but it's usually a lot weaker)

Depends what kind of nalewka it is...

the options on the alcohol

A man in his 20' would go for vodka, if contemporary anything really depending on his story and background. If you have something stereotypical in mind it could be a drink like zubrowka with an apple juice.

If a dress - doskonale, doskonala or swietnie, Not doskonaly.

Instead of fajnie - dobrze, dobra.

moja jedyna rather than jedyna moja it sounds like he is mocking her or is not quite serious. If that is some life and dead situation he would use her name rather than some endearing substitute.

Any suggestions

kochanie, sloneczko, mala, zlotko, serduszko...thing is I'm not that young so that could be outdated too but it is still better than that cheesy bit from 40 years ago or more. lol
mafketis 36 | 10,706
6 Mar 2021 #900
A man in his 20' would go for vodka,

To steady his nerves? That's the context I understood from the short passage (could be wrong of course). I don't think 20 year olds go for żołądkowa (another thought of mine...)

I like żubrówka but not sure if people drink it straight (again how I understood).


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