Basic Nouns

1. Woda

   Water

   Usage

   The basic word for drinking water; works with pointing

   Grammar Note

   Headwords are nominative. Polish has seven cases: wodę, wody, wodą.

2. Jedzenie

   Food

   Usage

   The general word when you are looking for something to eat

3. Pieniądze

   Money

   Usage

   Comes up when paying or changing currency

   Grammar Note

   "Pieniądze" is used in the plural; the singular pieniądz is rare.

4. Toaleta

   Toilet

   Usage

   The word alone is enough to ask for directions

5. Chusteczki

   Tissue

   Usage

   For asking at a shop or a diner

6. Lekarstwo

   Medicine

   Usage

   The core word at a pharmacy, paired with your symptom

7. Bagaż

   Luggage

   Usage

   For checking in, picking up, or storing bags

8. Klucz

   Key

   Usage

   For collecting or returning it at hotel reception

9. Bilet

   Ticket

   Usage

   The base word for transport and admission tickets

10. Paszport

    Passport

    Usage

    Comes up at every check-in and border control

11. Telefon

    Phone

    Usage

    Refers to the device and to making a call

12. Ładowarka

    Charger

    Usage

    When you want to borrow one at a hotel or café

13. Dworzec

    Station

    Usage

    The easiest landmark to name when asking directions

14. Szpital

    Hospital

    Usage

    The first word you need if you fall ill

15. Policja

    Police

    Usage

    For theft or accidents; the word alone gets help

16. Sklep

    Shop

    Usage

    The general word when hunting for somewhere to buy things

17. Pokój

    Room

    Usage

    For negotiating a stay or confirming a room number

18. Droga

    Road

    Usage

    Used when asking directions, often over a map

19. Rodzina

    Family

    Usage

    Comes up in small talk about who you are travelling with

20. Imię

    Name

    Usage

    For confirming a booking or introducing yourself

    Grammar Note

    "Imię" is the given name; the surname is "nazwisko".

21. Głowa

    Head

    Usage

    Point at yourself and show this to say where it hurts; a headache is "ból głowy"

22. Oko

    Eye

    Usage

    Point at yourself and show this to say where it hurts; "eyes" is the irregular plural "oczy"

23. Ząb

    Tooth

    Usage

    Point at the tooth that hurts; teeth are "zęby", toothache is "ból zęba", and a dentist is "dentysta"

24. Gardło

    Throat

    Usage

    Point at yourself and show this to say where it hurts; a sore throat is "ból gardła"

25. Brzuch

    Stomach / belly

    Usage

    Point at yourself and show this to say where it hurts; a stomach ache is "ból brzucha", while the organ itself is "żołądek"

26. Plecy

    Back

    Usage

    Point at yourself and show this to say where it hurts; back pain is "ból pleców"

    Grammar Note

    "Plecy" is a plurale tantum in Polish: there is no singular form

27. Dolna część pleców

    Lower back

    Usage

    Show this to point out lower-back pain; colloquially the area is "krzyż" ("ból krzyża" = lower back pain), but since "krzyż" also means "cross", this longer form is unambiguous when pointing

28. Noga

    Leg

    Usage

    Point at yourself and show this to say where it hurts; "noga" is the whole leg, while the foot below the ankle is "stopa" — point at the exact spot

29. Ręka

    Hand

    Usage

    Point at yourself and show this to say where it hurts; in everyday Polish "ręka" covers both the hand and the arm, and "dłoń" is the hand proper — point at the exact spot

30. Klatka piersiowa

    Chest

    Usage

    Show this for chest pain or tightness; chest pain is "ból w klatce piersiowej"

    Grammar Note

    The anatomical term for the ribcage; "pierś" on its own means the breast, so this is the wording to use in a medical setting

31. Konsulat

    Consulate

    Usage

    For finding your country's consulate after losing a passport; the embassy in the capital is "ambasada"

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