Learning Polish: 'No, you can't have my cat' - Poland forum

gwensel

28 November 2014 06:34:41

Wroclaw

After three years of living in Poland I'm quite satisfied with the fact that my Polish is finally on a more or less acceptable level, which means that I can have some conversations with the locals without using English, German or out of frustration my own language: Dutch (which never really helped me out in any other country, but okay)

I've been taking Polish lessons and although I'm still on a basic level with speaking, my listening and reading is way better, so I understand a lot. I'm just very quiet when someone asks me something.

Whenever I can I speak Polish -or at least I try/pretend to speak Polish- and usually that makes me feel proud. But not always. Lately I was doing my groceries after a 1,5 hour long Polish lesson, so I felt quite confident. I walked up to the cash desk to pay for my food, drinks and cat litter for the fluffy black hair ball that is called Mika.

Everything went smoothly and I think the cashier thought I was cute with my not so perfect Polish. I gathered all my stuff and lifted the heavy cat litter into the shopping cart when the lady suddenly asked me: "Can I please have your cat?"

A moment of silence went by and I was staring at her all puzzled: "My cat??!?!?? You want my cat?"

Continue reading at polskaaah.blogspot.com/2014/11/learning-polish-cat.html

Primadonna

28 November 2014 11:01:17

5311

Amman

Welcome on board

That's a funny story

I guess everyone has the kind of same experiences when it becomes to try having a conversation in a language where you studied so hard for.

I had once neighbors visiting us for the first time while we arrived a couple of weeks before. I made a old fashion Dutch apple cake and they really like it, The woman asked me what I used. Then in my best Arabic I tell here the ingredients.
At that point when to say "butter" I was a bit confused with the Arabic word for "cheese". Because at that time both words were similar to me. But I choose the right word but she didn't understand what I say. Maybe because of the pronouncement or something else. I repeat the word, but still she don't get it.
For heaven sake I skip the whole word and say the first part or that particular word.

The faces of everyone turned into masks and the silence was horrible. My hubby said to me I said something which was not very appropriate but how could I know?

The "secret" ingredient of mine was the penis...

Learning Polish: "No, you can't have my cat"

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