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PODCAST

How You Say?

Julia Tutko-Balena

If you"ve got a hankering to surprise your Polish-speaking friends or family, check out this 5-minute podcast and pick up a funny phrase or two!

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All Episodes

00:04:28

Episode 144: He/She Pours Water!

How You Say? ·

2020/10/23

On/Ona leje wodę!English Phonemes: “nyeh lej VOH-d[ę]”Literal Translation: He/She pours water!Elegant Translation: He/She is pouring water!English Equivalent: To waffle. To be noncommittal.When a person speaks without substance, they water down the point, they waffle, they avoid a definitive statements, they give evasive answers to questions, this phrase is perfect to call them out on it. Best applied to politicians and writers. :-)On/Ona = He/She [noun, masc./fem., s. subj. form]Leje = he/she/it

en-US

00:04:32

Episode 143: When Cat Not Has, Mice Are Playing!

How You Say? ·

2020/10/16

Gdy kota nie ma, myszy harcują.English Phonemes: “gdih KOH-tah nyeh mah MIH-[sz]ih har-TSOO-y[ą]”Literal Translation: When cat not has, mice are playing.Elegant Translation: When there is no cat, the mice play.English Equivalent: When the cat's away, the mice are at play.This is a popular phrase. It means that when the authority figure is out, the subordinates break the rules. It’s most commonly used in Polish when parents step out to run errands and their kids make mischief in their absence.Gdy =

en-US

00:04:15

Episode 142: He/She/It Laughs Itself How Idiot To...

How You Say? ·

2020/10/09

Śmieje się jak głupi do sera!English Phonemes: “SHMYEH-yeh shyeh yahk GWOO-pee doh SEH-rah”Literal Translation: He/She/It laughs itself how idiot to cheese!Elegant Translation: He/She/It laughs like an idiot to cheese!English Equivalent: To laugh inappropriately.This is a great saying for a situation where someone laughs without a good reason. Either they don’t know what’s going on, they feel awkward, they feel nervous, or a myriad of other scenarios. The end result being that they laugh without a

en-US

00:05:18

Episode 141: We Are Making Good Face To Bad Game!

How You Say? ·

2020/10/02

Robimy dobrą minę do złej gry.English Phonemes: “roh-BEE-mih DOHB-r[ą] MEE-n[ę] doh zwehy grih”Literal Translation: We are making good face to bad game.Elegant Translation: We are putting on a good face for a bad game.English Equivalent: Grin and bear it.This is a nice way to say “put on a brave face” or “grin and bear it” or even “put on a Poker face”. You can use today’s Polish saying the same way.In terms of grammar usage, you can manipulate the verb to make it singular or speak in the third

en-US

00:02:58

Episode 140: In Alone Exactly!

How You Say? ·

2020/09/25

W Sam Akurat!English Phonemes: “v sahm ah-KOO-raht”Literal Translation: In alone exactly.Elegant Translation: Exactly right.English Equivalent: Nailed it.This is a neat little way to say that you did something, or something happened, exactly and perfectly so.Think of the literal translation as meaning “in the one and only perfect spot!”The best way to think about this phrase’s usage is that you can say this in any situation you would use the word “perfectly” in English. So, you arrived home

en-US

00:06:22

Episode 139: If Who Stupid, Then Until Nice!

How You Say? ·

2020/09/18

Jak kto głupi, to aż miło!!!English Phonemes: “yahk ktoh GWOO-pee toh ah[sz] MEE-woh”Literal Translation: If who stupid, then until nice.Elegant Translation: When someone’s stupid, then it’s nice.English Equivalent: Not the sharpest tool in the shed.This is an old and strange saying which means nothing like what the words actually say. The literal meaning paints a lovely picture of a stupid person obliviously and joyfully romping through their existence. But the meaning of the idiom is more direct:

en-US

00:03:28

Episode 138: I Will Tell Straight From Bridge!

How You Say? ·

2020/09/11

Powiem prosto z mostu!English Phonemes: “POH-wyehm PROHS-toh z MOHS-too”Literal Translation: I will tell straight from bridge.Elegant Translation: I will tell it straight from the bridge.English Equivalent: To speak bluntly.When a Polish person tells you something outright, they speak straight from the bridge. A great turn of phrase to use when you’re about to say something without beating about the bush.Powiem = I will tell/say/speak [1st p. s., verb, future tense, gender agnostic]Prosto = straight

en-US

00:04:39

Episode 137: What, You Are Thinking About Blue Almonds?

How You Say? ·

2020/08/28

Co, myślisz o niebieskich migdałach?English Phonemes: “tsoh MISH-lee[sz] oh nyeh-BYEHS-keeh meeg-DAHW-ahh”Literal Translation: What, you are thinking about blue almonds?Elegant Translation: What, are you thinking about blue almonds?English Equivalent: To have your head in the clouds.Polish people don’t daydream, they think about blue almonds! This phrase is perfect if you’re talking to a Polish speaker and they get that Thousand Mile Stare in the middle of a sentence. Also a useful phrase to use if

en-US

00:04:24

Episode 136: Oh How I Brewed Beer!

How You Say? ·

2020/08/21

Ale naważyłem/naważyłam piwa!English Phonemes: “AH-leh nah-vah-[Ż]IH-wehm(wahm) PEE-vah”Literal Translation: Oh how I brewed beer!Elegant Translation: Wow, did I brew some beer!English Equivalent: Mess things up.This is a funny way to say you messed things up. Other analogous English phrases include “poked the bear” or “stepped in it”. The phrase is a bit old, but it’s still very much in use!This is very similar to Episode 91, from last year, where we learned “Ale narobiłem/narobiłam bigosu!”

en-US

00:05:53

Episode 135: To Look For Hole In Whole!

How You Say? ·

2020/08/14

Szukać dziury w całym.English Phonemes: “[SZ]OO-kahch JYOO-rih v TSAH-wihm”Literal Translation: To look for hole in whole.Elegant Translation: To look for a hole in the whole.English Equivalent: Nit-pick. Fault-find.This phrase is used to say someone is looking for flaws where there are none.I’ll discuss in this episode how you can modify this phrase to better fit your situation, but in essence, you can use this phrase as-is anywhere and be completely correct. Enjoy!Szukać = to look for, to seek

en-US

00:03:39

Episode 134: Not I Have Conscience!

How You Say? ·

2020/08/07

Nie mam sumienia.English Phonemes: “nyeh mahm soo-MYEH-nyah”Literal Translation: Not I have conscience.Elegant Translation: I don’t have the conscience.English Equivalent: I can’t in good conscience.This phrase is used when you’re faced with a moral dilemma. A crisis of conscience. You want the last slice of pizza, but you see that 10 year old Molly wants it, too, and you just don’t have it in you to take it. You “don’t have the heart” to take it, as it were.This phrase is perfect for those

en-US

00:03:48

Episode 133: That One Is Without Conscience!

How You Say? ·

2020/07/31

Tamten/tamta jest bez sumienia.English Phonemes: “TAHM-ten/TAHM-tah nyeh mah soo-MYEH-nyah”Literal Translation: That one is without conscience.Elegant Translation: That person has no conscience.English Equivalent: They are without conscience. This is a nice phrase to use to call out that someone did something unconscionable. The words tamten and tamta both mean that (tam) this (ten or ta), but it’s based on the gender of the person you are referring to. (See notes below.)You can use it as a joke or

en-US

00:03:41

Episode 132: Not Wrap Up Truth In Cotton!

How You Say? ·

2020/07/24

Nie owijaj prawdę w bawełnę.English Phonemes: “nyeh oh-VEE-yahy PRAHV-deh v bah-VEHW-neh”Literal Translation: Not wrap up truth in cotton.Elegant Translation: Don’t wrap the truth in cotton.English Equivalent: Don’t beat around the bush.This is a fun phrase to ask someone to get to the point. Please note that this is informal phrasing, so be aware of whom you use this with. Enjoy!Nie = not, no [negates whatever comes next]Owijaj = wrap up [s. informal imperative]Prawdę = truth [s. f. obj. form]W =

en-US

00:03:31x

Episode 131: Cap For Hat!

How You Say? ·

2020/07/17

Czapka za kapelusz.English Phonemes: “[CZ]AHP-kah zah kah-PEH-loo[sz]”Literal Translation: Cap for hat.Elegant Translation: A cap for a hat.English Equivalent: Six of one, half a dozen of another. This funny phrase is used exactly the same way as “six of one, half a dozen of the other” is in English.Enjoy!Czapka = cap, hat, toque [noun, s. f. subj. form]Za = for [preposition]Kapelusz = hat, usually only a hat with a brim [noun, s. masc. subj. form]Support the show on Patreon

en-US

00:03:20

Episode 130: I Will Take Something On Tooth!

How You Say? ·

2020/07/10

Wezmę coś na ząb.English Phonemes: “VEHZ-meh tsohsh nah z[ą]b”Literal Translation: I will take something on tooth.Elegant Translation: I will take something on the tooth.English Equivalent: I will nibble something.Here’s a cute phrase for when you are feeling hungry. You could also say that you want something “on the tooth” or “for the tooth” and it conveys the same meaning. It’s slang for wanting to eat something. Usually in the sense of wanting a snack, in passing, although you can use it to

en-US

00:04:22

Episode 129: Oh You Pecker!

How You Say? ·

2020/07/03

O ty skubańcu! English Phonemes: “oh tih skooh-BA[Ń]-tsooh”Literal Translation: Oh you pecker!English Equivalent: Hen pecker!This is a gentle ribbing way to call someone out for being annoying, or even mischievous and sneaky. It is even sometimes used as a euphemism if you want to avoid using naughty grown-up words.O = ohTy = you [noun, subj. form, informal]Skubańcu = pecker, pincher, picker - one who does the pinching/pecking/picking [vocative singular form of the noun]Support the show on Patreon

en-US

00:05:38

Episode 128: When Dog Barks Then Not Bites!

How You Say? ·

2020/06/26

Kiedy pies szczeka to nie gryzie.English Phonemes: “KYEH-dih pyehs [SZ][CZ]EH-kah toh nyeh GRIH-[ź]yeh”Literal Translation: When dog barks then not bites.Elegant Translation: When a dog is barking, it’s not biting.This is a funny phrase to say that that if someone is busy being loud, they don’t have time or energy to do much else. Including thinking, listening, hitting, anything. Wise words!Kiedy = whenPies = dog [s. masc. noun, subj. form]Szczeka = he/she/it barks or is barking [3rd. p. sing. verb,

en-US

00:08:41

Episode 127: She Remembered Herself Grandmother...

How You Say? ·

2020/06/19

Przypomniała sobie babka dziewiczy wieczór.English Phonemes: “p[sz]ih-poh-MNYAH-wah SOH-byeh BAHB-kah jyeh-VEECZ-ih VYEH-[cz]oor”Literal Translation: She remembered herself grandmother virgin evening.Elegant Translation: The grandmother remembered the virgin evening.English Equivalent: You’ve outgrown something.A “virgin evening” is the literal translation for a bachelorette party. Or a “hen do” for our British and Australian listeners.This phrase is meant to joke about how a grandmother who has

en-US

00:04:45

Episode 126: Under No Pretext!

How You Say? ·

2020/06/12

Pod żadnym pozorem.English Phonemes: “pohd [Ż]AHD-nihm poh-ZOH-rehm”Literal Translation: Under no pretext.Elegant Translation: Under no pretense.English Equivalent: Under no circumstances.This is a handy phrase to know. I used it earlier when my little one asked to walk the balance beam on the handrail between us and the river. You’ll hear many a Polish parent use this one with their kids to definitively squash a bad idea. I opened my mouth and my mother came out, so I had to share this with you all

en-US

00:03:27

Episode 125: Stuff Self Hay!

How You Say? ·

2020/06/05

Wypchaj się sianem.English Phonemes: “VIHP-haee shyeh SHYAH-nehm”Literal Translation: Stuff self hay!Elegant Translation: Stuff yourself with hay!English Equivalent: Get lost! Beat it!Another beautiful and colorful way to tell someone to hit the bricks. Harkening back to the first episode of this show - Idź krowie na ogon :-)Enjoy!Wypchaj = stuff, cram [singular imperative]Się = self [reflective helper word]Sianem = hay [n., singular neutral obj. form]Support the show on Patreon

en-US

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