Mieszkanie – This is the Polish word for “apartment.” It typically refers to a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building.

Mam nowe mieszkanie w centrum miasta.

Blok – This term means “block” and is often used to describe apartment buildings, particularly those built during the communist era.

W moim bloku mieszka wiele rodzin.

Kawalerka – A “studio apartment” in Polish. This is a small apartment that combines the living room, bedroom, and kitchen into a single room.

Wynajmuję kawalerkę na Starym Mieście.

Wynajem – This word means “rent” and is crucial when discussing apartments, as many people rent rather than own their apartments.

Koszt wynajmu mieszkania jest bardzo wysoki.

Właściciel – The “owner” of the apartment. This term is useful when talking about who owns the property.

Muszę porozmawiać z właścicielem mieszkania o naprawach.

Lokator – A “tenant” who lives in an apartment but does not own it.

Nowy lokator wprowadził się wczoraj.

Kamienica – This term refers to a “tenement house” or “old townhouse,” usually found in city centers and often divided into apartments.

Mieszkam w starej kamienicy z widokiem na rynek.

Dom

Dom – This is the Polish word for “house.” It refers to a standalone building that is usually owned by the occupants.

Mam piękny dom na przedmieściach.

Ogród – This word means “garden,” a common feature of many houses.

Spędzam dużo czasu w moim ogrodzie.

Podwórko – This term means “yard” and is often used to describe the outdoor space surrounding a house.

Dzieci bawią się na podwórku.

Garaż – This word means “garage,” a place to park cars that is often attached to a house.

Trzymam samochód w garażu.

Piwnica – This term means “basement,” a common feature in houses for storage or additional living space.

Piwnica w naszym domu jest bardzo duża.

Parter – The “ground floor” of a house, where the main living areas are usually located.

Kuchnia znajduje się na parterze.

Poddasze – This term means “attic,” which can be used for storage or as an additional room.

Poddasze w naszym domu jest zaadaptowane na sypialnię.

Comparing Mieszkanie and Dom

Understanding the differences between a mieszkanie and a dom can help you choose the right vocabulary depending on the context. Here are some more specific terms and phrases that can be useful.

Przeprowadzka – This word means “moving” and is used when someone is relocating from one place to another.

Przeprowadzka do nowego domu była bardzo stresująca.

Czynsz – This term means “rent” and is often used when discussing the cost of living in an apartment.

Czynsz za mieszkanie jest bardzo wysoki.

Hipoteka – This word means “mortgage,” a common term when buying a house.

Spłacamy hipoteczny kredyt na nasz dom.

Wspólnota mieszkaniowa – This term means “housing association,” which is common in apartment complexes where residents share certain responsibilities.

Należy do wspólnoty mieszkaniowej w naszym bloku.

Osiedle – This word means “housing estate” and can refer to a group of houses or apartments built together.

Mieszkam na nowym osiedlu na obrzeżach miasta.

Remont – This term means “renovation,” which can apply to both houses and apartments.

Planujemy remont kuchni w naszym domu.

Agencja nieruchomości – This term means “real estate agency,” a place where you can find services to buy, sell, or rent properties.

Skorzystaliśmy z usług agencji nieruchomości, aby znaleźć nowe mieszkanie.

Zamieszkać – This verb means “to live” or “to reside” and can be used in various contexts related to living arrangements.

Chcemy zamieszkać w spokojnej okolicy.

Okolica – This word means “neighborhood” and is useful when describing the area around your home.

Nasza okolica jest bardzo zielona i spokojna.

Additional Vocabulary

To further enhance your understanding, here are some additional vocabulary words related to apartments and houses:

Klucz – This means “key,” an essential item for any home.

Zgubiłem klucz do mieszkania.

Drzwi – This word means “door,” another fundamental part of any living space.

Nowe drzwi do domu są bardzo solidne.

Schody – This term means “stairs,” which you might find in both houses and multi-story apartments.

Schody w naszej kamienicy są bardzo strome.

Salon – This word means “living room,” a common area for relaxation in both apartments and houses.

Spędzamy wieczory w salonie, oglądając telewizję.

Sypialnia – This term means “bedroom,” a private room for sleeping.

Nasza sypialnia jest bardzo przestronna.

Łazienka – This word means “bathroom,” a necessary room in any living space.

Łazienka w naszym mieszkaniu jest nowoczesna.

Kuchnia – This term means “kitchen,” where food is prepared.

Lubię gotować w naszej dużej kuchni.

Balkon – This word means “balcony,” a feature often found in apartments.

Podoba mi się widok z naszego balkonu.

Taras – This term means “terrace,” a similar outdoor space but usually larger and often found in houses.

Latem spędzamy dużo czasu na tarasie.

Klatka schodowa – This term means “staircase” or “stairwell,” typically found in apartment buildings.

Klatka schodowa w naszym bloku jest zawsze czysta.

Pokój dzienny – This term means “living room,” another way to refer to a communal space in a home.

W pokoju dziennym mamy duży telewizor.

Okno – This word means “window,” an essential part of any room.

Przez okno w salonie mamy piękny widok na park.

Ściana – This term means “wall,” a fundamental structural element.

Na ścianie w kuchni wiszą obrazy.

Sufit – This word means “ceiling,” the overhead interior surface of a room.

Sufit w sypialni jest bardzo wysoki.

Podłoga – This term means “floor,” the bottom surface of a room.

Na podłodze w salonie mamy dywan.

Meble – This word means “furniture,” essential items for any living space.

Kupiliśmy nowe meble do jadalni.

Oświetlenie – This term means “lighting,” an important aspect of home decor.

Oświetlenie w kuchni jest bardzo jasne.

Sprzęt AGD – This term means “household appliances,” such as a refrigerator, oven, or washing machine.

Wszystkie sprzęty AGD w naszym domu są nowe.

By understanding and using these terms, you’ll find it easier to discuss living arrangements in Polish, whether you’re talking about an apartment or a house. Remember, practicing these words in context will help you retain them better and improve your overall fluency in Polish. Happy learning!