Learning a new language can be both exciting and daunting, especially when starting from scratch. Polish, with its rich history and unique linguistic traits, offers a rewarding challenge for language enthusiasts. If you’re at the A1 level, you’re just beginning your journey into the world of Polish. To help you get started, we’ve compiled a list of 50 essential words that will form the foundation of your Polish vocabulary. These words are not just random selections; they are chosen to help you navigate everyday conversations and build your confidence in using the language.

Basic Greetings and Politeness

1. **Cześć** – Hello
– Usage: A casual greeting used among friends and family.

2. **Dzień dobry** – Good morning
– Usage: A more formal greeting, suitable for use throughout the day.

3. **Dobry wieczór** – Good evening
– Usage: Used in the evening, similar to “Good evening” in English.

4. **Do widzenia** – Goodbye
– Usage: A standard way to say goodbye.

5. **Proszę** – Please/ You’re welcome
– Usage: Can be used when making a request or when responding to thanks.

6. **Dziękuję** – Thank you
– Usage: Expressing gratitude.

7. **Przepraszam** – Excuse me/ Sorry
– Usage: Used for apologizing or getting someone’s attention.

Common Nouns

8. **Dom** – House
– Usage: Refers to a home or house.

9. **Mieszkanie** – Apartment
– Usage: Refers to an apartment or flat.

10. **Szkoła** – School
– Usage: Refers to an educational institution.

11. **Praca** – Work
– Usage: Refers to a job or place of employment.

12. **Rodzina** – Family
– Usage: Refers to family members collectively.

13. **Przyjaciel** – Friend (male)
– Usage: Refers to a male friend.

14. **Przyjaciółka** – Friend (female)
– Usage: Refers to a female friend.

15. **Jedzenie** – Food
– Usage: General term for food.

16. **Woda** – Water
– Usage: Refers to water, essential for daily conversations.

17. **Miasto** – City
– Usage: Refers to a city or town.

Basic Verbs

18. **Być** – To be
– Usage: Fundamental verb used in various forms of speech.

19. **Mieć** – To have
– Usage: Another fundamental verb used to indicate possession.

20. **Iść** – To go (on foot)
– Usage: Used when referring to walking somewhere.

21. **Jechać** – To go (by vehicle)
– Usage: Used when referring to traveling by vehicle.

22. **Robić** – To do/ To make
– Usage: A versatile verb used in many contexts.

23. **Mówić** – To speak/ To talk
– Usage: Used in conversations and discussions.

24. **Jeść** – To eat
– Usage: Refers to the act of eating.

25. **Pić** – To drink
– Usage: Refers to the act of drinking.

26. **Lubić** – To like
– Usage: Expresses liking or preference.

27. **Wiedzieć** – To know
– Usage: Refers to knowing information.

Common Adjectives

28. **Dobry** – Good
– Usage: Describes something positive.

29. **Zły** – Bad
– Usage: Describes something negative.

30. **Duży** – Big
– Usage: Describes size.

31. **Mały** – Small
– Usage: Describes size.

32. **Nowy** – New
– Usage: Describes something new.

33. **Stary** – Old
– Usage: Describes something old.

34. **Ładny** – Pretty/ Nice
– Usage: Describes appearance or quality.

35. **Brzydki** – Ugly
– Usage: Describes appearance.

36. **Szczęśliwy** – Happy
– Usage: Describes a state of happiness.

37. **Smutny** – Sad
– Usage: Describes a state of sadness.

Numbers and Time

38. **Jeden** – One
– Usage: The number one.

39. **Dwa** – Two
– Usage: The number two.

40. **Trzy** – Three
– Usage: The number three.

41. **Cztery** – Four
– Usage: The number four.

42. **Pięć** – Five
– Usage: The number five.

43. **Godzina** – Hour
– Usage: Refers to time.

44. **Minuta** – Minute
– Usage: Refers to time.

Basic Pronouns

45. **Ja** – I
– Usage: First person singular pronoun.

46. **Ty** – You (singular informal)
– Usage: Second person singular pronoun.

47. **On** – He
– Usage: Third person singular masculine pronoun.

48. **Ona** – She
– Usage: Third person singular feminine pronoun.

49. **My** – We
– Usage: First person plural pronoun.

50. **Wy** – You (plural)
– Usage: Second person plural pronoun.

Conclusion

Starting with these 50 essential words will give you a solid foundation as you embark on your journey to learn Polish. The key to language learning is practice and consistency. Try to incorporate these words into your daily routine, whether through flashcards, speaking with native speakers, or practicing with language apps. Remember, every word you learn brings you one step closer to fluency. Happy learning!