100+ Polish Slang Words and Expressions You Need to Know

Table of Contents

• Common Everyday Slang
• Youth & Internet Slang
• Expressions & Idioms
• Food & Drink Related
• Social & Friendly Terms
• Work & Money Related
• Informal Exclamations
• Regional Variations
• Vulgar Slang

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Understanding Polish slang is crucial for anyone wanting to sound natural in conversations with native speakers. While formal Polish is taught in language schools, everyday Polish incorporates a rich variety of colloquial expressions that vary across different regions and generations. This comprehensive guide introduces you to 100+ essential Polish slang words and expressions that will help you communicate more naturally and understand contemporary Polish culture.

Common Everyday Slang

• Kumpel: Buddy, mate, friend. Mój kumpel mieszka w Warszawie. (My buddy lives in Warsaw.)
• Dziewczyna/Chłopak: Girlfriend/Boyfriend (literally girl/boy). To moja dziewczyna. (That's my girlfriend.)
• Laska/Facet: Girl/Guy (more casual). Ta laska jest fajna. (That girl is cool.)
• Fajny/Fajna: Cool, nice, awesome. To jest fajny film. (That's a cool movie.)
• Super: Great, awesome (borrowed from English). To było super! (That was awesome!)
• Spoko: Cool, okay, no problem (from "spokojnie" - calmly). Spoko, nie ma problemu. (Cool, no problem.)
• Git: Good, okay (from "git" meaning good in some dialects). Wszystko git? (Everything good?)
• Ziomek/Ziom: Dude, buddy (from "ziomek" - countryman). Cześć ziom! (Hey dude!)
• Stary/Stara: Old man/woman (used for parents or older friends). Mój stary pracuje w banku. (My old man works at a bank.)
• Gadać: To talk, to chat. Lubię z nim gadać. (I like talking with him.)
• Robota: Work, job. Idę do roboty. (I'm going to work.)
• Kasa: Money, cash. Nie mam kasy. (I don't have money.)
• Hajs: Money (slang). Potrzebuję hajsu. (I need money.)
• Bryka: Car (old slang). Moja bryka się zepsuła. (My car broke down.)
• Chatka: House, place (literally hut). Idziemy do mojej chatki. (We're going to my place.)
• Melanż: Party, drinking session. Był wczoraj melanż. (There was a party yesterday.)
• Impra/Impreza: Party, event. Świetna była ta impreza! (That party was great!)
• Beka: Fun, laugh (from "bekać" - to laugh). To była beka! (That was fun!)
• Nara: Bye (casual). Nara, do zobaczenia! (Bye, see you!)

Youth & Internet Slang

• Siema: Hi, hey (very casual greeting). Siema, co tam? (Hey, what's up?)
• Elo: Hello (from English "hello"). Elo, jak leci? (Hello, how's it going?)
• Spk: Okay (from "spoko"). Spk, zrobimy to jutro. (Okay, we'll do it tomorrow.)
• Wgl: Generally, at all (w ogóle). Wgl nie wiem. (I don't know at all.)
• Xd: LOL (expression of laughter). To było śmieszne xd. (That was funny LOL.)
• Kappa: Just kidding (from Twitch emote). Jestem najlepszy kappa. (I'm the best, just kidding.)
• Cringe: Embarrassing, cringeworthy (borrowed from English). To było cringe. (That was cringe.)
• Hype: Excitement, hype (borrowed from English). Jest duży hype na ten film. (There's big hype for this movie.)
• Randomowy: Random (borrowed from English). To było randomowe. (That was random.)
• Fail: Failure, epic fail (borrowed from English). To był totalny fail. (That was a total fail.)
• Noob: Newbie, beginner (from gaming). Jesteś noobem. (You're a noob.)
• Pro: Professional, skilled (borrowed from English). On jest pro w tej grze. (He's pro at this game.)
• Czilować: To chill, relax (from English "chill"). Będę dziś czilować. (I'll be chilling today.)
• Hejt: Hate, hatred (from English "hate"). Nie lubię hejtu w internecie. (I don't like hate on the internet.)
• Bait: Bait, something to provoke (from English). To był oczywisty bait. (That was obvious bait.)

Expressions & Idioms

• Mieć wyjebane: To not give a damn (vulgar). Mam wyjebane na to. (I don't give a damn about this.)
• Być na gazie: To be in a hurry (literally "to be on gas"). Jestem na gazie, muszę lecieć. (I'm in a hurry, I have to run.)
• Lecieć z kimś: To be into someone, to have a crush. Lecę z nią od miesiąca. (I've been into her for a month.)
• Mieć klapki: To be crazy, nuts. Chyba masz klapki! (You must be nuts!)
• Być na minusie: To be broke (literally "to be in the minus"). Jestem na minusie do wypłaty. (I'm broke until payday.)
• Dać w szyję: To drink heavily. Wczoraj dał w szyję. (He drank heavily yesterday.)
• Mieć przejechane: To be tired, exhausted. Mam przejechane po pracy. (I'm exhausted after work.)
• Być w ciągu: To be on a drinking spree. Jest w ciągu od tygodnia. (He's been on a drinking spree for a week.)
• Robić wodę z mózgu: To confuse someone (literally "to make water from brain"). Nie rób mi wody z mózgu. (Don't confuse me.)
• Mieć w dupie: To not care (vulgar, literally "to have in the ass"). Mam to w dupie. (I don't care about it.)
• Być w porządku: To be okay, decent. On jest w porządku. (He's a decent guy.)
• Walnąć się w głowę: To go crazy (literally "to hit oneself in the head"). Chyba się walnął w głowę. (He must have gone crazy.)
• Mieć nosa: To have good instincts (literally "to have a nose"). Ma nosa do interesów. (He has good business instincts.)
• Być na luzie: To be relaxed, chill. Jestem dzisiaj na luzie. (I'm relaxed today.)

Food & Drink Related

• Żarcie: Food (casual/vulgar). Gdzie jest żarcie? (Where's the food?)
• Chlanie: Drinking alcohol (from "chlać" - to drink). Idziemy na chlanie. (We're going drinking.)
• Browary: Beers. Kupmy browary na wieczór. (Let's buy beers for tonight.)
• Wódka/Wóda: Vodka (water slang). Nalej wódy. (Pour some vodka.)
• Bimber: Moonshine, homemade alcohol. Dziadek robi bimber. (Grandpa makes moonshine.)
• Flaszka: Bottle (of alcohol). Kupił flaszkę na imprezę. (He bought a bottle for the party.)
• Żuć: To eat (literally "to chew"). Chodź, będziemy żuć. (Come on, let's eat.)
• Kafej: Coffee (casual). Napijesz się kafej? (Will you have some coffee?)
• Herbatka: Tea (diminutive, affectionate). Zrobimy herbatkę. (We'll make some tea.)
• Kiełbasa: Sausage (also used metaphorically). Dobra kiełbasa w tym sklepie. (Good sausage in this shop.)
• Schabowy: Pork cutlet (national dish). Mama robi najlepszego schabowego. (Mom makes the best pork cutlet.)
• Kotlet: Cutlet, also used for "idiot". Nie bądź kotletem. (Don't be an idiot.)
• Żurek: Sour rye soup (traditional Polish dish). Babcia gotuje żurek. (Grandma cooks sour rye soup.)

Social & Friendly Terms

• Koleś: Guy, dude. Ten koleś jest spoko. (This guy is cool.)
• Babka: Woman, chick (can be slightly derogatory). Ta babka jest szalona. (That chick is crazy.)
• Dziadek: Old man, grandpa (also for any older man). Dziadek na przystanku czeka. (The old man is waiting at the bus stop.)
• Młody: Young man (used to address younger people). Słuchaj młody, nie rób głupot. (Listen young man, don't do stupid things.)
• Kolezanka/Kolega: Friend, colleague. To moja koleżanka z pracy. (That's my friend from work.)
• Kumple: Buddies, friends (plural). Idziemy z kumplami na mecz. (We're going to the match with buddies.)
• Paczka: Group of friends (literally "package"). Moja paczka z liceum. (My group from high school.)
• Grono: Circle of friends. Nasze grono przyjaciół. (Our circle of friends.)
• Ekipa: Team, crew. Nasza ekipa jest najlepsza. (Our crew is the best.)
• Banda: Gang, group (can be negative or positive). Cała banda poszła do kina. (The whole gang went to the movies.)

Work & Money Related

• Szmal: Money (slang). Nie mam szmalu. (I don't have money.)
• Forsa: Money, cash. Potrzebuję forsy na wakacje. (I need cash for vacation.)
• Harówa: Hard work, labor. To ciężka harówa. (That's hard work.)
• Szef: Boss. Szef jest dziś w złym humorze. (The boss is in a bad mood today.)
• Kierownik: Manager, supervisor. Kierownik kazał mi zostać dłużej. (The manager told me to stay longer.)
• Etat: Full-time job. Mam etat w korporacji. (I have a full-time job at a corporation.)
• Zlecenie: Freelance work, commission. Pracuję na zlecenie. (I work freelance.)
• Fucha: Easy job, side gig. Mam dobrą fuchę na weekendy. (I have a good side gig for weekends.)
• Korporacja: Corporation (often used negatively). Pracuje w korporacji. (He works at a corporation.)
• Biuro: Office. Siedzę w biurze od rana. (I've been sitting in the office since morning.)

Informal Exclamations

• Kurwa: Fck, damn (very common, versatile swear word). Kurwa, zapomniałem kluczy! (Fck, I forgot my keys!)
• Cholera: Damn, hell. Cholera, spóźnię się! (Damn, I'll be late!)
• Szlag: Damn, blast. Szlag by to trafił! (Damn it!)
• O kurde: Oh damn (milder than kurwa). O kurde, nie wiedziałem! (Oh damn, I didn't know!)
• No nie: Oh no, come on. No nie, znowu pada deszcz. (Oh no, it's raining again.)
• Matko: My God (literally "mother"). Matko, co tu się dzieje? (My God, what's happening here?)
• Jezus: Jesus (exclamation). Jezus, jak gorąco! (Jesus, how hot it is!)
• Rany: Wounds (mild exclamation). Rany, ile to kosztuje? (Geez, how much does it cost?)
• Ojej: Oh my, oops. Ojej, zrobiłem błąd. (Oh my, I made a mistake.)
• Oj tam: Oh well, whatever. Oj tam, nie przejmuj się. (Oh well, don't worry about it.)

Regional Variations

Silesia (Śląsk)

• Hanyś: Guy, man (Silesian). Ten hanyś jest fajny. (This guy is nice.)
• Baba: Woman (in Silesian dialect). Ta baba dobrze gotuje. (That woman cooks well.)
• Fest: Very, really (from German "fest"). To jest fest dobre. (This is really good.)
• Szneka: Schnapps, strong alcohol. Wypijemy sznekę. (We'll drink some schnapps.)

Kashubia (Kaszuby)

• Òczywista: Of course (Kashubian). Òczywista, że przyjdę. (Of course I'll come.)

Warsaw (Warszawa)

• Warszawiak: Person from Warsaw. Jestem warszawiakiem. (I'm from Warsaw.)
• Praga: Right bank of Warsaw (district name, also means Prague). Mieszkam na Pradze. (I live in Praga.)

Kraków

• Krakowiak: Person from Kraków. On to prawdziwy krakowiak. (He's a true Krakovian.)

Vulgar Slang

• Pierdolić: To f*ck, to talk nonsense. Przestań pierdolić głupoty. (Stop talking nonsense.)
• Jebać: To fck (very vulgar). Jebać to wszystko. (Fck all this.)
• Dupek: Asshole. Ten dupek ukradł mi miejsce. (That asshole took my spot.)
• Skurwysyn: Son of a btch. Ten skurwysyn mnie oszukał. (That son of a btch cheated me.)
• Chuj: Dick (very vulgar). Chuj z tym. (F*ck this.)
• Pizda: Cnt (very vulgar). Co za pizda! (What a cnt!)
• Gówno: Shit. To jest gówno. (This is shit.)
• Suka: Btch. Ta suka jest wkurzająca. (That btch is annoying.)
• Dziwka: Whore. Nie nazywaj jej dziwką. (Don't call her a whore.)
• Kurewka: Little whore (diminutive, very offensive). Ta kurewka kłamie. (That little whore is lying.)

Gaming & Internet Culture

• Grać: To play (games). Gram w CS:GO. (I play CS:GO.)
• Gamer: Gamer (borrowed from English). Jestem gamerem. (I'm a gamer.)
• Nolifować: To have no life (spend too much time gaming). Cały dzień nolifuje. (He's no-lifing all day.)
• Ragequit: To quit in anger (gaming term). Zrobił ragequit. (He ragequit.)
• Camper: Player who camps in games. Ten camper mnie wkurza. (That camper annoys me.)
• Lagi: Lag (internet connection issues). Mam lagi. (I have lag.)
• Ping: Ping (internet latency). Mam wysoki ping. (I have high ping.)
• Skin: Skin (game cosmetics). Mam fajnego skina. (I have a cool skin.)
• Drop: Drop (getting items in games). Dostałem dobry drop. (I got a good drop.)
• Grind: Grind (repetitive gameplay). Muszę grindować poziomy. (I need to grind levels.)

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This comprehensive list gives you a solid foundation for understanding Polish slang! Remember that slang evolves constantly and varies by region, age group, and social context. The best way to master it is through immersion - watching Polish YouTube videos, movies, listening to music, and conversing with native speakers. Polish slang is particularly rich and creative, often mixing traditional expressions with modern internet culture and borrowed English terms.