Language/Polish/Vocabulary/Telling-Time

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Polish → Vocabulary → 0 to A1 Course → Numbers and Time → Telling Time

Introduction

In this lesson, we will learn how to tell time in Polish. Knowing how to tell time is an essential skill for everyday life, whether it's scheduling appointments, catching a train, or simply knowing when it's time to eat. We will cover both the 12-hour and 24-hour time formats, as well as how to express minutes and other time-related expressions. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to confidently tell time in Polish and understand time-related conversations.

Hours

In Polish, we use the 12-hour clock system to tell time. Let's start by learning the words for the hours of the day:

Polish	Pronunciation	English
zero	zeh-roh	zero
jeden	ye-den	one
dwa	dvah	two
trzy	tshi	three
cztery	ch-teh-ry	four
pięć	pyehnc	five
sześć	shehshch	six
siedem	sye-dem	seven
osiem	oh-syem	eight
dziewięć	dyen-vyench	nine
dziesięć	dyeh-syench	ten
jedenaście	ye-deh-nyash-cheh	eleven
dwanaście	dvah-nah-sheh	twelve

It's important to note that the word "zero" is used for 12 AM. After that, we simply use the numbers from one to twelve to represent the hours of the day.

Minutes

To express minutes in Polish, we use the word "minuta" (minute) followed by the number of minutes. Let's look at some examples:

• pięć minut (five minutes)
• dziesięć minut (ten minutes)
• dwadzieścia minut (twenty minutes)
• trzydzieści minut (thirty minutes)
• czterdzieści pięć minut (forty-five minutes)

Remember that when expressing minutes, we always use the plural form of the word "minuta" (minute).

12-Hour Time Format

In the 12-hour time format, we combine the words for hours and minutes to tell the time. Let's see some examples:

• Jeden trzydzieści pięć (one thirty-five)
• Dwa dwadzieścia (two twenty)
• Cztery czterdzieści (four forty)
• Siedem pięć (seven five)
• Dziesięć dziesięć (ten ten)

As you can see, we simply combine the word for the hour with the word for the minutes to form the complete time expression.

24-Hour Time Format

In addition to the 12-hour time format, Poland also uses the 24-hour time format, especially in formal and official contexts. The 24-hour time format is commonly used in train schedules, business meetings, and military time. Let's see how we express time in the 24-hour format:

• Jeden trzydzieści pięć (13:35)
• Dwa dwadzieścia (14:20)
• Cztery czterdzieści (16:40)
• Siedem pięć (19:05)
• Dziesięć dziesięć (22:10)

As you can see, the 24-hour time format uses the same expressions as the 12-hour format, but without the need to specify AM or PM. The numbers represent the hours and minutes, respectively.

Other Time Expressions

In addition to telling the time, there are other time-related expressions that are commonly used in Polish. Let's explore some of them:

• teraz (now)
• później (later)
• wcześnie (early)
• północ (midnight)
• południe (noon)
• wieczór (evening)
• noc (night)
• rano (morning)
• popołudnie (afternoon)

These expressions are useful for indicating specific times of the day or referring to general time periods.

Summary

In this lesson, we have learned how to tell time in Polish. We covered the hours, minutes, and the difference between the 12-hour and 24-hour time formats. We also explored other time-related expressions that are commonly used in Polish. By practicing these skills, you will be able to confidently tell time and understand time-related conversations in Polish.

Table of Contents - Polish Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Alphabet and Pronunciation

• Polish Alphabet
• Pronunciation Rules

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Basic Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Basic Sentence Structure

• Subject-Verb-Object
• Questions and Negations

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-100
• Telling Time

  ---

Nouns and Articles

• Noun Gender
• Definite and Indefinite Articles

  ---

Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Relationship Status

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Adjective Agreement
• Comparative and Superlative

  ---

Food and Dining

• Common Foods
• Eating Out

  ---

Verbs and Tenses

• Present Tense
• Past Tense

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Travel Phrases

  ---

Polish Customs and Traditions

• Holidays and Celebrations
• Polish Cuisine

Sources

• Telling Time in Polish - Everything You Need to Know
• How To Tell The Time In Polish
• Date & Time in the Polish language | Mówić po polsku

Other Lessons

• Holidays
• Slang
• Advanced Food and Drink Vocabulary
• Introduction
• Count from 0 to 100
• Numbers 1 100
• Sports
• Medecine
• Seasons
• Count to 10

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