THE QUICK ANSWER
Start with Przepraszam, gdzie jest…? (Excuse me, where is…?). For walking directions, ask Jak dojść do centrum? (How do I get to the centre on foot?). Listen for prosto (straight ahead), w lewo (to the left) and w prawo (to the right).
WORDS YOU CAN USE TODAY
10 useful phrases
Listen to the Polish, then try it aloud. Audio uses a synthetic Polish voice; no voice installation is needed.
Przepraszam, gdzie jest dworzec kolejowy?
Excuse me, where is the train station?
Przepraszam gets someone’s attention politely. Dworzec kolejowy is a complete example destination.
Jak dojść do centrum?
How do I get to the centre on foot?
Dojść asks about reaching a place by walking. Centrum keeps this spelling after do.
Proszę iść prosto.
Please go straight ahead.
A direction you may hear. Listen for prosto even if you miss the beginning.
Proszę skręcić w lewo.
Please turn left.
W lewo gives the direction of the turn.
Proszę skręcić w prawo.
Please turn right.
Keep w prawo and w lewo as short phrases when you practise.
Dworzec jest po lewej stronie.
The station is on the left-hand side.
Po lewej stronie describes where the station is, rather than telling you to turn.
A potem w lewo czy w prawo?
And then left or right?
A short follow-up when you want to check the next turn.
Czy to daleko?
Is it far?
A useful question after the other person knows your destination.
Proszę powtórzyć.
Please repeat that.
Ask to hear the answer again when it was too fast or unclear.
Dziękuję za pomoc.
Thank you for your help.
A polite way to finish the exchange.
Practise conversations aloud with feedback in Movoza.
Ask where a place is, or how to walk there
Gdzie jest dworzec kolejowy? asks where the train station is. Start with Przepraszam to get someone’s attention, then give the destination. You can use a complete example such as Gdzie jest najbliższy przystanek? (Where is the nearest stop?) when looking for a bus or tram stop.
Jak dojść do centrum? asks for a walking route. For the station, use Jak dojść do dworca kolejowego? Here, dworzec kolejowy changes to dworca kolejowego after do. Learn the destination in its whole phrase instead of replacing it with a dictionary form and leaving every ending the same.
If you are asking about getting somewhere by vehicle, dojechać is the useful verb: Jak dojechać do centrum? Keep your intended way of travelling clear so the answer fits your question.
Separate a turn from the side of the street
Prosto tells you to continue straight ahead. W lewo and w prawo tell you which way to turn. You may hear the complete instructions Proszę skręcić w lewo and Proszę skręcić w prawo, or just the short direction in a quick reply.
Po lewej stronie means on the left-hand side; po prawej stronie means on the right-hand side. These phrases locate something. A person can tell you to turn right and then look for the station on your left, so hearing lewej in the next sentence does not necessarily change the earlier turn.
Try saying a small pair aloud: W prawo (to the right), then Po prawej stronie (on the right-hand side). Make the same pair with W lewo and Po lewej stronie. Practising the distinction helps you listen for what the instruction is doing.
Check the part you missed
You can pause the exchange with Proszę powtórzyć. If you need a slower repeat, say Proszę mówić wolniej (Please speak more slowly). These requests work without choosing pan or pani for the other person.
For a turn, try A potem w lewo czy w prawo? You can also repeat what you think you heard: W prawo, tak? (Right, is that correct?). Asking again gives the other person a chance to confirm or correct your understanding.
The conversation below uses an invented route for language practice. Rehearse both roles, then change the confirmed turn from right to left and adjust the reply to match.
PUT IT TOGETHER
A short conversation
Read both parts. Then cover the English and try your reply aloud.
- You
Przepraszam, jak dojść do dworca kolejowego?
Excuse me, how do I get to the train station on foot?
- Passer-by
Proszę iść prosto do skrzyżowania, a potem skręcić w prawo.
Please go straight to the junction, then turn right.
- You
Przepraszam, proszę powtórzyć.
Sorry, please repeat that.
- Passer-by
Prosto do skrzyżowania, potem w prawo. Dworzec jest po lewej stronie.
Straight to the junction, then right. The station is on the left-hand side.
- You
W prawo, tak?
Right, is that correct?
- Passer-by
Tak, w prawo.
Yes, right.
- You
Dziękuję za pomoc.
Thank you for your help.
- Passer-by
Nie ma za co.
You are welcome.
YOUR TURN
One small speaking challenge.
Listen to the two turning instructions, then cover the English. Say which one tells you to turn right. Finish by asking A potem w lewo czy w prawo? aloud, as if you were checking a real reply.
Someone says Proszę skręcić w prawo. What are they asking you to do?
Show the answer
Turn right. W prawo means to the right, so Proszę skręcić w prawo asks you to turn right. W lewo would mean to the left.
Now say Proszę skręcić w prawo. aloud.
