Shopping and money in Polish
82 words in Polish on the topic “shopping and money”: ile to kosztuje? — how much does it cost?, euro — euro, sklep — shop, targ — market.
82 words on the topic
- ile to kosztuje?how much does it cost?About one thing, ile kosztuje is enough — and the vendor will understand a bare Ile?. Literally "how much does this cost".
- euroeuroPoland pays in zloty, not euros: pięć złotych — "five zloty". Euro here is the neighbors' currency and the stuff of European-union talk, and it never declines.
- sklepshopA false friend with a body: it looks like the word for a burial vault in several languages, and the resemblance is real history — the shop once sat in a cellar, straight from the Latin crypta.
- targmarketThe same root as the trade words of half of eastern Europe: the market was the trading. The most famous one is Kraków's Cloth Hall on the Rynek.
- ladacounterNo kinship with any familiar word — the word came from Italian, and it names the counter in a shop and in a bank alike. And lada dzień is "any day now" — a different creature entirely.
- sprzedawcashop assistantFrom sprzedać, "to sell" — the root says itself. A woman is sprzedawczyni, and at the market counter it is more often her.
- klientcustomerThe same Latin root as the English word, and the same wide job: the customer of a shop, a bank, a hairdresser. The bookish kupiec, "merchant", is not heard at the market.
- wagascalesSingular, where English is plural: ta waga. Weight and scales are one word, and to weigh is ważyć.
- kilogramkilogramAt the market it is said short: kilo. What is weighed follows in its of-form, like English "of": kilogram chleba.
- świeżyfreshThe ż is that zh sound, and the ending is y, not the long ee of other adjectives: "SHVYE-zhih". Feminine świeża, neuter świeże.
- dojrzałyripeFrom dojrzeć, "to ripen" — the same root that once meant "to watch, to see" in half the family of languages. About a person in their prime a Pole says the same word.
- cennikprice tagFrom cena, "price" — price and price tag are one nest. The little card with a number by the goods is also a cennik.
- rabatdiscountThe Latinism is spotted at first glance. In the window it comes with a percent: rabat 20%; promocja — "a special offer" — keeps it company.
- ile płacę?how much do I owe?Literally "how much do I pay". This is how one asks at the till and the market stall, when everything is chosen; a short Ile? with a questioning tone also lands.
- to jest drogiethat is expensiveSofter is trochę drogo — "a bit pricey". Haggling lives on at Polish markets, but calmly: first To jest drogie, then a pause.
- czy można taniej?can it be cheaper?In full: Czy można taniej? — and taniej is the comparative of the familiar tani. It works at the market; in the supermarket, no.
- bioręI'll take itFrom brać, "to take" — a verb that also covers taking a bride: brać żonę. At the market, Biorę is the full stop after the haggling.
- nie potrzebujęI don't need itLiterally "I have no need of it": nie potrzebuję torby — "I don't need a bag". Not to be confused with nie muszę — "I don't have to": need and obligation are different words.
- sklep spożywczygrocery storeSpożywczy comes from spożywać, "to consume food" — a "food shop" by construction. The signs you will meet: Żabka, Biedronka, Lidl.
- koszykbasketThe diminutive of kosz. The trolley is wózek, and it demands a coin — returned when you bring it back.
- kolejkaqueueFrom kolej, "order, turn" — hence po kolei, "in turn". Kasa nr 2 is where the queue goes, and the word is not a metaphor here.
- kasatill, checkoutThe checkout, and the cashier is kasjer. The word is Italian by origin, the same road as the word in several neighboring languages.
- torbabagA carry bag; the thin plastic one from the till is reklamówka, and it costs money. At the till they ask: Torba będzie? — "will you be having a bag?"
- otwarteopen (sign)This is exactly what the door says: OTWARTE. The neuter form: sklep jest otwarty — the shop is open, okno jest otwarte — the window is open.
- zamknięteclosed (sign)The partner of otwarte, and on the door it is ZAMKNIĘTE, with a nasal ę at the end. On Sundays almost everything shuts: a legal shopping Sunday comes only a few times a year.
- wybieraćto chooseThe prefix wy- is "out of", so the verb says exactly what "pick out" says. Present tense: wybieram, wybierasz, wybiera.
- rozmiarsizeA Latinism that assembles itself: roz plus miara, "measure". For clothes and shoes there is also numer: Jaki rozmiar? — "what size?"
- gwarancjawarranty, guaranteeAn Italian Latinism stressed in the middle. The warranty period is usually two years. Without the receipt it cannot be proven — which is why the receipt is worth keeping.
- zwrot towarureturn of goodsFrom the return verb — the same one as in "pay attention". Goods are returned within fourteen days for no reason — that is the law, and shops write it on the door.
- reklamaadvertisement, adA Latinism stressed in the middle. In business speech the announcement-word stands beside it — the one you read in the job ads: advertising attracts, announcements inform.
- spot reklamowyad slot, commercialPrecisely the spot, not the video-word: that is what a short TV or radio commercial is called. Filming one is "spinning" or "recording" — the same verb records a song.
- markabrandThe brand is the make-word — as in "what make is this car?". The English borrowing is heard in conversation too, but written and official is this one.
- logologoA Latinism that never declines at all: one shape for every case. Not to be confused with the familiar sign: a logo is the firm's sign, the road sign stands on the roadside.
- wyprzedażsale, clearanceFrom the selling-off verb; the winter one starts right after the New Year. The discount itself is the familiar rabat — in the window it says "up to fifty percent".
- korzystna ofertaa good deal, favorable offerThe favorable-adjective means advantageous, convenient and promising at once — a favorable price, a favorable date. The offer-word covers goods and jobs alike.
- porównać cenyto compare pricesFrom the equal-adjective: to compare is to "equalize" in one's thoughts. The same verb returns in talk of similarity. What you compare with is introduced by z plus the instrumental.
- kostkastick, cube (of butter)A false friend in reverse: the parcel-word you already sent is the parcel. A stick of butter is literally a "little cube" — butter in Poland is sold in cubes.
- szkłoglass (material)Glass is this word, while the drinking glass is literally a "little glass" — a word you know. To shatter is the smashing verb; broken glass is its participle.
- metalmetalA Latinism, declined like a native. The adjective is built from it. And metal is also the music: heavy metal is metal here too.
- plastikplastic (colloquial)Colloquial; the bookier word is literally "artificial substance". A plastic bag is a foil-bag — from the foil-word.
- papierpaperThe paper-adjective is built from it. In the plural it means documents, papers: "to sort out one's papers" — you have done that already.
- trwałydurable, long-lastingFrom the lasting verb: durable is what lives long. About paint and about friendship alike: a lasting color, a lasting friendship.
- porządnydecent, good-qualityBoth decent and solid: a decent man, decent shoes. From the order-word of the course. The exact match for "good-quality" with no load of emotion.
- centrum handloweshopping mall, shopping centreThe Latinism plus the trade-adjective; in speech people say gallery or just the name. Trade, trader — the family is one.
- witrynashop window, displayA Latinism from the glass-word. Window-shopping is the viewing verb — the favorite pastime of the Sunday stroll.
- kasjercashierFrom the familiar till. A woman is the feminine — and in shops it is most often her voice. Kin to the till-register too.
- zakuppurchaseThe singular is one purchase; the plural is the shopping trip: to go shopping. A good purchase is literally a "good buy".
- karta lojalnościowaloyalty cardLiterally "a card of loyalty". At the till they ask whether you have one; the polite refusal is "no, thank you".
- opakowanie na prezentgift wrappingThe wrapping in general, from the packing verb of the course. At the till they ask: shall I wrap it as a present?
- wózek sklepowyshopping trolley, cartThe cart-word in general: the pram and the forklift too. For a small purchase there is the basket you know — the trolley is for the big shop.
- wymienić towarto exchange goodsThe verb exchanges, replaces and changes currency: changing euros into zlotys. The goods are the trade-word — as plain as the English one.
- zwrócić towarto return goodsThe returning verb — the same one as in repaying a debt; here the goods return. The noun is the return: "returns within fourteen days" — the sign by the till.
- wadliwydefective, faultyFrom the flaw-word: defective means with a flaw. About broken and dented things they say the damaged-word — a different one.
- rozmiar mi nie pasujethe size does not fit meThe fitting verb — "it fits me" you know. The size of shoes and clothes is the size-word. In the fitting room they say it shorter: too big, too small.
- zachować paragonto keep the receiptParagon is the till receipt, familiar from every shop; keeping is keeping safe. Without it the shop will take neither a return nor the familiar claim.
- to podróbkait is a fake, a counterfeitFrom the forging verb: "made in imitation of something". A counterfeit watch puts the watch into the of-form. At the market check twice: original or fake?
- na staniein stock, availableStan is the stock: goods "on the stock" are in the warehouse and available. Not in stock is the lack-phrase — though the shop says it softer: the product is unavailable.
- wymienić na inny kolorto exchange for a different colorThe preposition decides: exchanging for — or exchanging with something. The different-adjective is "other" — and by ear do not mix it with the only-word.
- zegarekwristwatchA diminutive of the clock-word in general — wall clocks and alarm clocks included. This one is specifically the wristwatch. "My watch runs late" — said with the lateness verb.
- perfumyperfumeA Latinism, but not our number: singular — the perfume is expensive. The toilet water is weaker. To smell nice is its own verb.
- kosmetykicosmetics, toiletriesA Latinism in the plural: cosmetics are the products, while the cosmetic-bag is the little pouch. The shop with them is the drugstore — not to be confused with the pharmacy.
- używanyused, second-handFrom the using verb: used is "used-up". Used books sell for half the price. About a car they also say "from the second hand".
- targować sięto haggle, to bargainFrom the market-word you know: one haggles where there are no price tags. Haggling about the price — said with o. In the supermarket — not at all: the price is one.
- księgarniabookshop, bookstoreFrom the old tome-word: a bookshop is a "book-ery", like the English one. One letter separates the trade: the bookshop sells, the library lends.
- hurtowowholesale, in bulkFrom the wholesale-noun: selling wholesale. The wholesale warehouse shares the root. In retail — its own adverb, also a Latinism.
- okres gwarancjiwarranty periodThe familiar warranty plus the period: the time in which the shop repairs and replaces for free. For appliances in Poland usually two years of warranty.
- na zamówieniemade to orderLiterally "onto the order": furniture made to order. The sense is wider than "to measure": made to order is also what is not in stock.
- braćto takeThe form biorę — "I take" — is the one heard in shops: it is this verb's present tense. The perfective partner is wziąć, and it looks nothing like it.
- dawaćto giveThe imperative is short: daj — "give". The perfective is dać, and dam means not only "I will give" but also a breezy "fine, deal".
- kupowaćto buyImperfective: the process of buying. The perfective is kupić: kupiłem chleb — "I bought bread". The connection to any familiar root is faint; memorize it.
- zawijaćto wrap upOne wraps a gift in paper and a sandwich in foil. In the shop they ask: Zawinąć? — "shall I wrap it?"
- zwracaćto return (an item)A shirt goes back to the shop and money to a debt. The trap: zwracać uwagę — "to pay attention" — is the same word at work.
- ile kosztuje kilogram?how much is a kilo?Ile and kilogram you know; kosztuje is the "it" form of the familiar kosztować. The goods after it take the of-form: kilogram pomidorów.
- czy jest zniżka?is there a discount?A question without a question word opens with the familiar czy; zniżka is "a discount", feminine, from zniżać, "to lower".
- czy macie ...?do you have ...?Literally "do you (all) have" — how you ask a shop or a café for something, since you are asking the staff as a group. What you ask for stays in the object form.
- wezmę toI will take thisOne word does the whole "I will take": wezmę is the future of brać, an irregular shape the hands simply memorize.
- potrzebuję torebkiI need a bagLiterally "I need a bag", but potrzebować puts what you need into the of-form — torebki, never torebkę.
- gdzie jest kasa?where is the till?Kasa you know; the order is rigid: gdzie jest first, and only then the subject. Every word has already crossed your path.
- to wszystkothat is allAt the till it means "I am taking nothing else"; wszystko is "everything", a neuter pronoun.
- gotówką czy kartą?cash or card?Gotówka you know; one pays with the instrumental — płacę gotówką — and the cashier's question stands in the same case.
- reszty nie trzebakeep the changeReszta you know — the change; literally "of the change there is no need": the familiar trzeba, and reszta in its of-form, reszty.
- lista zakupówshopping listThe order runs the English way backwards — the "of what" comes first: lista zakupów, literally "a list of purchases"; zakupy are "shopping".
How it sounds in a sentence
A word list is a blank. Conversation is made of sentences, and these are the ones the words fit into most often.
What is worth knowing about these words
ile to kosztuje? — how much does it cost? About one thing, ile kosztuje is enough — and the vendor will understand a bare Ile?. Literally "how much does this cost".
euro — euro. Poland pays in zloty, not euros: pięć złotych — "five zloty". Euro here is the neighbors' currency and the stuff of European-union talk, and it never declines.
sklep — shop. A false friend with a body: it looks like the word for a burial vault in several languages, and the resemblance is real history — the shop once sat in a cellar, straight from the Latin crypta.
targ — market. The same root as the trade words of half of eastern Europe: the market was the trading. The most famous one is Kraków's Cloth Hall on the Rynek.
Test yourself
Recalling a spelling from meaning is harder than recognizing a familiar word — and therefore more useful.
- How do you say “how much does it cost?” in Polish?
About one thing, ile kosztuje is enough — and the vendor will understand a bare Ile?. Literally "how much does this cost".
- How do you say “scales” in Polish?
Singular, where English is plural: ta waga. Weight and scales are one word, and to weigh is ważyć.
- How do you say “that is expensive” in Polish?
Softer is trochę drogo — "a bit pricey". Haggling lives on at Polish markets, but calmly: first To jest drogie, then a pause.
- How do you say “till, checkout” in Polish?
The checkout, and the cashier is kasjer. The word is Italian by origin, the same road as the word in several neighboring languages.
- How do you say “return of goods” in Polish?
From the return verb — the same one as in "pay attention". Goods are returned within fourteen days for no reason — that is the law, and shops write it on the door.
How to learn the set instead of just reading it
How much it costs, whether there is a smaller one, whether cards are accepted. A shop forgives mistakes: miss a word and they will show you the thing with their hands anyway.
A list is read in a minute and forgotten in a day. What works: hide the translation, try to recall, get it wrong — and come back to the same words tomorrow.
- Recalling beats re-reading. Covering the translation and trying to remember it does more than reading it ten more times.checked many timesAdesope, Trevisan & Sundararajan, 2017, Review of Educational Research 87(3) · 188 experiments, 272 comparisons. g = 0.61; against plain re-reading 0.51, against passive review 0.93.
- Study spread over days wins not only in experiments but in ordinary classrooms, with real students.checked many timesMawson & Kang, 2025, Behavioral Sciences 15(6):771 · 22 studies, d = 0.54 (confidence interval 0.31–0.77). The authors warn that individual studies disagree widely.
Frequently asked
How do you say “how much does it cost?” in Polish?
«ile to kosztuje?» About one thing, ile kosztuje is enough — and the vendor will understand a bare Ile?. Literally "how much does this cost". It is one of 82 words in the set “shopping and money” — the rest are in the table above.
How many shopping words do you need to start?
The whole set on this page is 82 words, but there is no need to start with all of it: the words you will need in the next few days are enough. Take them a few at a time — five to seven new ones per session.