Language/Polish/Vocabulary/Telling-Time

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

As a Polish language teacher with 20 years of experience, I am excited to introduce you to the world of telling time in Polish. In this lesson, we will cover everything from basic vocabulary and pronunciation to the difference between the 12-hour and 24-hour time formats. Whether you are new to Polish or just looking to brush up on your language skills, this lesson is perfect for anyone starting their journey towards A1 fluency.

Basic Vocabulary

Before we begin, let's review the basic vocabulary you'll need to tell time in Polish. These words are simple to learn and essential for the rest of the lesson:

• godzina - hour
• minuta - minute
• sekunda - second
• północ - midnight
• południe - noon
• rano - morning
• wieczór - evening
• noc - night

With these basic vocabulary terms, you can now start learning how to tell time in Polish.

Telling Time

In Polish, there are two ways to express time - the 12-hour format and the 24-hour format. It is important to be able to tell time using both formats, as they are both commonly used in Poland.

12-hour format

The 12-hour format is based on the AM/PM system, similar to English. To tell time using the 12-hour format in Polish, follow these steps:

1. Start with the hour. 2. Add either "rano" for AM or "wieczorem" for PM, depending on the time of day.

For example:

• 8:00 AM - osiem rano
• 4:30 PM - czterdzieści pięć po czwartej wieczorem

Notice that when using the 12-hour format, we always use the full hour, followed by the phrase indicating AM or PM.

24-hour format

The 24-hour format is the standard time format used in Poland, and eliminates the confusion between AM/PM. You can think of it as using military time. Here are the steps to tell time using this format in Polish:

1. Start with the hour. 2. Add "zero" before the hour if it is before 10:00. 3. Add "dwadzieścia" before two-digit hours from 20:00 to 23:00. 4. Add "po" followed by the number of minutes.

For example:

• 13:15 - trzynaście zero piętnaście
• 22:45 - dwadzieścia dwie zero czterdzieści pięć

Notice that when using the 24-hour format, we always use the two-digit hour, followed by "po" and the number of minutes.

Practice Telling Time

Now that you have learned the basics of telling time in Polish, it's time to practice! See how well you can tell time with the following examples (use either the 12-hour or 24-hour format):

1. 6:30 AM 2. 19:20 3. 10:15 PM 4. 16:50 5. 8:55 AM

Check your answers below:

• 6:30 AM - sześć trzydzieści rano
• 19:20 - dziewiętnaście dwadzieścia
• 10:15 PM - dziesięć piętnaście wieczorem
• 16:50 - szesnaście pięćdziesiąt
• 8:55 AM - osiem pięćdziesiąt pięć rano

Conclusion

Congratulations on learning how to tell time in Polish! With this lesson, you now have the knowledge and tools to confidently express time in both the 12-hour and 24-hour formats. Don't forget to practice and try out your new skills with native speakers.

I hope you found this lesson helpful and informative. Keep up the good work and continue your journey towards A1 fluency 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

Related Lessons

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

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