Knowing the numerals well in Polish, you will easily be able to learn to tell time in Polish. You will be able to be punctual at meetings and parties and will know how to tell the time in Polish. In this post, we have prepared material on the topic of formal and informal tenses in Polish, which will help you learn to communicate quickly.
Asking for the Time in Polish
When you live in Poland or have come here on vacation, you will not miss the situation when you are asked about the time. The following are questions that are good to know, when someone asks you about the time.
- Która jest godzina?/ Eng. What time is it?
This is the most common question people ask about time. In Polish, time is czas and hour is godzina.
- Przepraszam panią, czy wie pani, która jest godzina? / Eng. Excuse me, do you know what time is it? (formal, to a woman)
- Czy wiesz, która jest godzina? /Eng. Do you know what time is it? (informal)
In the formal context, we use the right form of the noun pani (“Ma’am”) when dealing with a woman or pan (“Sir”) when dealing with a man.
- Przepraszam pana, czy wie pan, która jest godzina? / Eng. Excuse me, do you know what time is it? (formal, to a man)
Sometimes you have to ask specifically about a meeting or a job. Poles like to be punctual, so don’t be late for a meeting for work.
- O której jest …? / Eng. What time is …?
- spotkanie / Eng. the meeting
- twoja randka / Eng. your date
- impreza / Eng. the party
- pociąg / Eng. the train
Hours in Polish
Both the twelve-hour clock and the twenty-four-hour clock are used, the twenty-four-hour clock is preferred in formal communication.
When you say five o’clock, for example, you need to specify whether you mean five o’clock in the morning or in the evening, because it is not clear.
- dwunasta / Eng. 12 o’clock
- dwunasta w nocy, północ / Eng. Twelve at night, Midnight
- dwunasta w południe, południe / Eng. 12 P.M., Midday, Noon
So to express “A.M.,” we add rano after the name of the hour; to express “P.M.,” we add po południu.
For example for 6 P.M. you don’t say szósta po południu, but szósta wieczorem meaning “6 in the evening”.
- Która jest godzina? / Eng. What time is it?
Jest ósma wieczorem . / Eng. It’s 8 P.M.
- O której jest spotkanie? / Eng. What time is the meeting?
O ósmej rano. / Eng. At 8 A.M.
pierwsza – 1 o’clock
druga – 2 o’clock
trzecia – 3 o’clock
czwarta – 4 o’clock
piąta – 5 o’clock
szósta – 6 o’clock
siódma – 7 o’clock
ósma – 8 o’clock
dziewiąta – 9 o’clock
dziesiąta – 10 o’clock
jedenasta – 11 o’clock
dwunasta – 12 o’clock
Twenty-four-hour clock
When we talk about twenty fours hours clock it is easier for us to plot the hours. It is less confusing. When you use it there is certainly no doubt what you mean.
If you want to learn Polish language online then we invite you to our Polka Dot School. We invite you to visit our Instagram, where you can find very interesting materials.
