Ways to say it
| Polish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| proszę | /ˈprɔ.ʂɛ/ /ˈprɔ.ʂɛw̃/ |
|
| poprosiłbym | formal |
proszę is the most common and versatile way to say "please" in Polish. You can add bardzo to the beginning of the phrase, as in bardzo proszę, to add emphasis or show a greater level of politeness. Another useful phrase is poproszę jeszcze raz, which means "please, one more time."
Which one should you use?
While proszę acts as a general interjection for "please", poprosiłbym is a more formal, conditional way to phrase a request. It is often used in settings like restaurants or shops to mean "I would like to ask for…".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
poprosiłbym is a formal option used when you want to express a request more conditionally.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
proszę is the first-person singular present indicative form of the verb prosić, which means "to ask" or "to request".
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈprɔ.ʂɛ/
When do people say it?
When someone says dziękuję (thank you), a common polite response is proszę bardzo, which functions as "you are very welcome" or "here you go".
Did you know?
- In Polish, proszę can be used as a standalone question to mean 'Pardon?' or 'I beg your pardon?' if you didn't hear someone. It is used exactly like the English 'Come again?' but is considered polite.
- The word proszę can also be used to command someone to 'Come in' when opening a door.
- If you say Proszę! with a rising intonation, it can function as an impatient 'Please!' or 'Come on!' when someone is being slow.
Examples in context
- Proszę, daj mi to.Give it to me, please.This example shows how to use proszę to make a direct request.Tatoeba #589964 by Bilberry, translation #41825 by CK
- Kup mi to, proszę.Please buy this for me.This example shows the placement of proszę at the end of a request.Tatoeba #3716120 by jeedrek, translation #2953253 by CK
- Proszę, myśl o tym.Please think about it.This example shows how to use proszę at the beginning of a sentence.Tatoeba #559995 by Bilberry, translation #442022 by CK
- Proszę przynieść mi kawę.Please bring me some coffee.
- Poproszę filiżankę herbaty.Please give me a cup of tea.
- Bardzo proszę o Twoją pomoc.I kindly ask for your help.
- Poproszę jeszcze raz o adres.Please give me your address one more time.
- 553 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Krzysztof and Agnieszka are at a cafe.
- KrzysztofPoproszę kawę.Coffee, please.
- AgnieszkaCzy masz może cukier?Do you happen to have sugar?
- KrzysztofTak, proszę bardzo.Yes, here you go.
- AgnieszkaDziękuję ci.Thank you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “please” translations and entries proszę, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
