Mowa jest srebrem, milczenie zlotem

Nie od razu Krakow zbudowano

It's a very popular proverb.

However, in Poland, we're talking about Polish city

Krakow instead of Rome ;-)

P.S. Krakow is a must-see place in Poland!

Tarta truskawkowa / Strawberry tart

TARTA TRUSKAWKOWA / STRAWBERRY TART

Tart:
150 g flour,
100 g cold butter (cubed),
50 g powdered sugar,
1 egg yolk,
pinch of salt,
*1 Tbsp cream (optional)

• Combine all ingredients and form a ball. Leave in the fridge for 30 min.
• Roll out the dough and place it in a baking pan. Pierce with a fork before baking.
• Bake for 15-20 min at 400º F.

Filling:
3 Tbsp strawberry jam,
1 lb strawberries,
strawberry jelly, glaze or jam for coating the fruit

• Cool tart in a pan and spread jam on the bottom.
• Arrange strawberries and coat them with strawberry jelly (liquid form), strawberry jam or fruit glaze.
• Let cool in a fridge.

Smacznego!

NOTES:
- Jam can be replaced with cream cheese (1 box of cream cheese combined with 1/4 cup powdered sugar).
- Sliced strawberries are easier to work with when cutting and serving a tart.
- You can also use blueberries/raspberries and choose corresponding jam flavor.
- This time, I didn't have any jam at home, so I made my own:
In a small saucepan, combine 1 lb strawberries with 3 Tbsp sugar and 1 Tbsp water. Cover with a lid and cook on medium heat for 15-20 min. Let cool completely.

VOCABULARY:
"truskawka" - strawberry
"truskawki" - strawberries
"truskawkowa" ("tarta"- tart), "truskawkowy" ("smak"-flavor), "truskawkowe" ("lody" - ice cream) - adjective describing things that are "strawberry" - examples above ;-)

Have a strawberry summer / "truskawkowe lato" everyone! :o)

Dla chcacego nic trudnego

Do trzech razy sztuka

It's a very popular saying!

Don't give up, try one more time!

And if you care about something a lot,

forget about the saying... ;-)

I love May! Kocham maj!



Own source

Looks like little birds like us :-)
Own source



May...
Many people say that May is the most beautiful month of the year - "Maj jest najpiękniejszym miesiącem roku". And I agree...
I love May - "Kocham maj"!! :o)
Sunny days, green grass, blooming trees and flowers - everything (and everyone) is waking up after long winter.
People enjoy outdoors and take short weekend trips, that in Poland are called majowka.
Active or lazy, it doesn't matter - what matters is being close to the nature's beauty!


Enjoying spring with my camera ;-)
Own source



Minnesota truly reflects four seasons that I experienced in Poland.
This place feels so homey to me.
And spring gives me the biggest kick of all :o)
Every little thing, that I find similar to life in Poland, is exciting!
Lots of trees and lakes, birds singing all day long and laying eggs in our flowers, lilac...
I adore it!

A few days ago, I snapped a photo of baby lilac next to our house - it should bloom in a month or so...
Can't wait!


Little baby lilac.
Own source



I wish everyone great "majowka" trips, lazy picnic days and time to enjoy fresh, springy air!

Happy Easter in Polish

My crocheted Easter eggs. "Crochet-anki" :))
I had lots of fun making them!!

Happy Easter!

"Wesołych Świąt Wielkanocnych!"

Easter - "Wielkanoc"

Happy Easter - "Wesołych Świąt Wielkanocnych"

Happy Hallelujah - "Wesołego Alleluja"





Wszędzie dobrze, ale w domu najlepiej

Women's Day and cute aprons

International Women's Day (in Polish: "Dzień Kobiet") is celebrated in Poland on March 8.

There are wishes - "życzenia", flowers - "kwiaty", chocolates - "czekoladki", and maybe even small gifts - "upominki".
Usually, a symbolic tulip - "tulipan" is just enough. I'd say, it's even appropriate :))
But, look what I received yesterday! These two cute aprons!
I just A.D.O.R.E. them :))
I can't wait to cook & bake for my husband who gave them to me. Gonna look good :)

Apron - "fartuszek"

Winter vocab - activities and clothes

Own source



It's still a winter season in Poland, so I thought that some of you may find the winter vocabulary useful.

Poland has beautiful mountains in the south with many great skiing and snowboarding resorts. Polish three main mountain chains are: Góry Świętokrzyskie, Karpaty and Sudety. Personally, I am more of a hiking fan than a skiing fan (oops...), and trust me, Poland has some breathtaking views to offer.

My favorite winter activities are: hiking, snowball wars, making a snowman, sleigh ride ("kulig") and drinking hot chocolate! What about you?

For pronunciation, I recommend a Google Translator - it's pretty good! Have fun!

Winter Activities:

winter - zima

snow - śnieg

snow is falling - pada śnieg

snowball - śnieżka, kula śniegu

snowballs - śnieżki, kule śniegu

to throw snowballs - rzucać śnieżki

snowball war - bitwa na śnieżki

snowman - bałwan

to make a snowman - zrobić bałwana

ice - lód

ice skating rink - lodowisko

ice skates - łyżwy

go ice skating - iść na łyżwy

cold - zimno

sled - sanki
sled riding - zjeżdżać na sankach

sleigh - sanie

sleigh ride - kulig

*(sleigh pulled by horses)

ski - narty

skiing - jeździć na nartach

ski-lift - wyciąg narciarski

snowboard - deska do snowboard'u

mountains - góry

trip to the mountains - wycieczka w góry

hot chocolate - gorąca czekolada

Winter clothes:

beanie - czapka

hat - kapelusz

gloves - rękawiczki

scarf - szalik

jacket - kurtka

earmuffs - nauszniki

winter shoes - obuwie zimowe

or

boots - buty

sweater - sweter

turtleneck - golf

vest - kamizelka

long johns - kalesony :D

Valentine's Day in Poland / Write your card in Polish!

Couldn't resist :)

Valentine's Day (in Polish: "Walentynki" / "Dzień Zakochanych") is celebrated in Poland since the beginning of the 90's. This American holiday became very popular in Poland and won hearts of the younger generation, but not only. People find it to be another ocassion to celebrate, go out and have a good time.
And it's celebrated in the same way - cards, flowers, chocolates, dinner, movies... Who doesn't like a holiday like this?
It's a perfect day to tell someone "I love you" - "Kocham Cię" or "I like you very much" - "Bardzo Cię lubię" for the very first time. It can be done in an anonymous way ("anonimowo") by sending a card or by a song dedication on the radio. However, most people decide to be brave and confess their feelings ("uczucia") in person.
Here is some help, if you wish to write a Valentine card in Polish :o)

Valentine phrases and vocabulary:

Kocham Cię - I love you

Kocham Cię bardzo - I love you so much

Lubię Cię - I like you (a feeling)

Podobasz mi się - I like you (finding someone attractive)

Zostań moją Walentynką - Be my Valentine

Jesteś słodka - You are sweet (about female)

Jesteś słodki - You are sweet (about male) 

Twoja Walentynka - Your Valentine (female)

Twój Walenty - Your Valentine (male)

**********

Walentynki / Dzień Zakochanych - Valentine's Day

Walentynka - a card for Valentine's Day

 but

Walentynki - cards for Valentine's Day (plural)

miłość - love

uczucie - a feeling

but

uczucia - feelings (plural)
serce - heart
Amor - cupid

kwiaty - flowers

czekoladki - chocolates

bilety do kina - tickets to the movies

kolacja - a dinner

romantyczna kolacja - a romantic dinner

pocałunek - a kiss

romantyczny pocałunek - a romantic kiss

Happy Valentine's Day!

Wstać lewą nogą

Hi.
Today I would like to start a quick and easy series of Polish proverbs and sayings.
My grumpiness the other day made me think of the Polish saying:
"wstać lewą nogą" - get up on the wrong side of the bed :o)
It means literally: "to get up and stomp on the left foot", however as you can see, it has a very similar English idiom.
Most of the idioms can't be translated literally.
I mixed up Polish and English sayings on several occasions already....
Sometimes it creates funny situations, but it's better to know the differences.
Good luck! - Powodzenia!

New Year! Nowy Rok!

Tonight, we all are going to say a happy, and maybe a slurred (oops...) HELLO to New Year 2012!!!

So, I am going to keep it short by wishing everyone and myself an inner happiness throughout 2012!

And what else?

If you wouldn't mind some prosperity in the New Year,

please PUT SOME NEW PANTIES/BOXERS ON!!!

 (or SPEEDOS, if you like)

NO OLD underwear and NO HOLES in it please!

The holes equal poor life, maybe even no money at all....

So, wear some RED UNDERWEAR for good luck in 2012! ;o)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
- Szczęśliwego Nowego Roku!

Christmas Wishes - Życzenia świąteczne



Wesołych Świąt Bożego Narodzenia
- Merry Christmas
to all visitors of my blog Sweet Home Polska!!!



Greetings and introducing yourself in Polish

Hi,
Here is another Polish lesson ("lekcja języka polskiego") :) This time, I am going to focus on basic greetings and introducing yourself. For pronunciation, I recommend using online resources. I listed two of them on the bottom of this page.
Some of the words, including simple "hi" ("cześć") might be challenging, but also fun to learn. Few people told me that Polish "hi" sounds like Chinese... Well, I don't know about that, I don't know Chinese :))) So, here it comes!

GREETINGS:
Hi!/Hello! - Cześć!
Hey! - Hej! (pronounced the same in English and Polish, YAY!)
Good morning/afternoon - Dzień dobry!
Good evening - Dobry wieczór!
How are you? - Jak się masz? or Co u Ciebie?


NOTE:
Differences btw Polish and English
It is always nice to ask others how they are doing. However, in Polish language it is not as common as in English language, unless we really know the person. So, if you greet someone and smile, but don't know a person, it is okay... you can skip "How are you?" part :) It took me a while before I got used to asking people this question. It felt so awkward in the beginning... :) I also need to admit, that replying to this question, short and always in a positive manner, felt weird too... Great, good, ok, fantastic are of course very polite, but what if I was in a bad mood and nothing was great? What if I wanted to say more than one word? (so typical of me :D )

VOCABULARY DESCRIBING MOOD:
Great! - świetnie
Good - dobrze
Ok - ok
Fantastic - fantastycznie
and...
Bad - źle
So, so - jako tako, tak sobie

INTRODUCING YOURSELF:
What is your name? - Jak masz na imię?
My name is ... - Mam na imię...
You can also shake hands and say names only, e.i.:
-Sylwia
-Anna
and add at the end:
Nice to meet you - Miło Cię poznać (informal) or Miło Pana (masculine) / Panią (femine) poznać (formal)
Mr. - Pan
Mrs./Ms. - Pani

DON'T MISS IT!
Przejście na "Ty" - The transition to "you"
When two adults meet, work together, and pick up the kids from school, etc. they use a title Mr./Mrs. (Pan/Pani) before each other's names. That tile can be used before both, last name and first name. Example: "Mrs. Sylwia, Mr. Jan, Mrs. Anna, Mr. Daniel". We don't see this in English language, where the tile goes in front of the last name.
When Poles decide to be more informal, have closer relationship with each other (even potential friendship), then there is time to offer przejście na "Ty" - the transition to "you".
Who should start first?
Usually older person offers it to a younger person, female to male, boss to employee, etc.
It might be considered rude to use someone's name without permission to do it. It is good to wait for these words: "Please call me ________."

These links might be helpful with pronunciation of some of the Polish words:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~atpc/learn/tools/pl-alphabet.html
http://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/polish.php

Good luck! Powodzenia!

Birthday wishes in Polish

It is always nice to receive wishes or greetings in our native language, especially from people who do not speak it. My sister-in-law surprised me this year sending to me birthday wishes in Polish. How sweet is that!! I had the biggest smile on my face seeing the message from her, and knowing that she took an effort to search for the wishes in my native language. Thank you Gina :))

Here is a little Polish class / Lekcja języka polskiego

You can write birthday wishes as simple as following:
"Serdeczne życzenia z okazji urodzin!"
or
"Wszystkiego najlepszego z okazji urodzin!"
or
"Sto lat!" 

Let's break it down:
serdeczne - "from one's heart"
wszystkiego najlepszego - all the best
życzenia  - wishes
z okazji - on the occasion of
urodzin - birthday
sto - hundred
lat - years

*Please note that the basic form for "birthday" is "urodziny", but in the sentence above, it changes to "urodzin". For example: "my birthday" - "moje urodziny", but "on the occasion of your birthday" - "z okazji Twoich urodzin".

*Wishing someone "Sto lat" is very popular in Poland, so is the song "Sto lat" - Polish version of "Happy Birthday". It means that we are wishing a long life to a person, who has birthday (sto lat means 100 years). :o)

*What are we wishing? Here are the most common wishes:
spełnienia marzeń - dreams to come true,
zdrowia - health,
szczęścia - happiness,
pomyślności - the best of luck,
radości - joy,
sukcesów - success.
And one more useful word: dużo - a lot! :)

Example:

Wszystkiego najlepszego z okazji urodzin!

Spełnienia marzeń,

dużo zdrowia, szczęścia

i pomyślności.

Sto lat!

You can break it into a simple sentence or say it all :)

Good luck!