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Learn Polish

Learn Polish

By: Roy Coughlan
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Learn how to Speak Polish in a fun way. Every week we release 2-3 episodes that are 5 to 25 mins with a different topic.

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Roy Coughlan Education Language Learning Politics & Government
Episodes
  • #582 Why Poland's Bottle Deposit System Is Driving People Crazy

    #582 Why Poland's Bottle Deposit System Is Driving People Crazy
    Apr 7 2026
    Welcome to Learn Polish Podcast, you can find all our episodes on learnpolishpodcast.com, find everything about me, scan the QR code, go to roycolin.com, get lessons from Ania in Polish or Spanish, you'll find the links in the show notes. In this episode Ania and Roy discuss Poland's new bottle deposit (kaucja) system—how it works, the 50 groszy deposit, issues with return machines, practical and ecological concerns, and listeners' experiences with recycling and refunds. "Zwrot butelek" means "bottle return," and in this eco-friendly micro-lesson you'll say it like you're saving the planet one plastic bottle at a time. First you hear the phrase at native speed, then slowed down so you can master the "zw" cluster and the soft "butel." We drop it into three green-ready sentences: – "Zwracam butelki." (I'm returning bottles.) – "To jest recykling." (This is recycling.) – "Dbam o planetę." (I care about the planet.) Repeat-along track included—perfect while you sort your bins or march to the return machine. Challenge: Tell us in the comments how YOU recycle—reply in Polish and we'll feature the greenest answers What we Discussed: 01:06 "Is it Profit or Just a Refund?" A quick debate on whether you're actually "earning" money or just getting back what you already paid. 01:48 "The 50 Groszy Hidden Cost" Explaining the mandatory deposit added to every bottle and how it impacts the final price. 03:30 "Why Does My Milk Bottle Fail?" A relatable moment about the frustration of machines rejecting certain types of plastic like milk bottles. 03:43 "Lidl vs. Biedronka Battle" The common struggle of trying to return a bottle from one store to a machine in a different store. 04:05 "The Ghost Machines" Highlighting the absurdity of having deposit-marked bottles but no machines available to return them. 05:48 "The Recycling Lie?" A controversial take on whether these bottles are actually recycled or just shipped to Asia or burned. 06:09 "Greenpeace Skepticism" A bold claim about how even environmental organizations might see the system as a money-making scheme. 06:35 "It's Just Another Tax" Comparing the bottle return system to a mandatory, "burdensome" tax that you can't avoid. 07:15 "Frozen Capital in My Kitchen" A funny but true observation about having "bags of money" (bottles) taking up space in your home. 07:49 "Is the System Actually Stupid?" A blunt final assessment of the system's effectiveness and its impact on the poor vs. the general public. English Polish Pronunciation Guide bottle butelka boo-tel-kah bottle return zwrot butelek zvrot boo-tel-ek recycling recykling reh-TSI-kling recycle recyklować reh-tsi-kloh-vahch plastic plastik plah-steek glass szkło shkwoh can (container) puszka poosh-kah aluminum aluminium ah-loo-mee-nyoom paper papier pah-pyeh cardboard tektura / karton tek-too-rah / kar-ton bin kosz / pojemnik kosh / poh-yem-neek trash/garbage śmieci shmyeh-tsee rubbish śmietnik shmyet-neek waste odpady oh-pah-di sort sortować sor-toh-vahch separate separować / rozdzielać seh-pah-roh-vahch / rohz-dzyeh-lahch clean czyścić chish-chich return zwracać / oddawać zvrah-tsahch / oh-dah-vahch deposit kaucja / zaliczka kow-tsya / zah-leech-kah refund zwrot pieniędzy zvrot pyeh-nyend-zi machine maszyna mah-shi-nah station stacja stahts-yah store sklep sklehp bag torba / worek tor-bah / voh-rehk environment środowisko shroh-doh-vees-koh planet planeta plah-neh-tah earth ziemia zyeh-myah nature natura nah-too-rah green zielony zyeh-loh-ni eco-friendly przyjazny dla środowiska psi-yahz-ni dla shroh-doh-vees-kah sustainable zrównoważony zroov-noh-vah-zhoh-ni zero waste zero waste (same) zeh-roh weyst climate klimat klee-maht pollution zanieczyszczenie zah-nyeh-chish-cheh-nyeh carbon footprint ślad węglowy swahd veng-woh-vi renewable odnawialny ohd-nah-vyahl-ni reusable wielokrotnego użytku vyeh-loh-krot-neh-goh oo-zi-koo biodegradable biodegradowalny byoh-deh-grah-doh-vahl-ni organic organiczny or-gah-neech-ni local lokalny loh-kahl-ni community społeczność spo-wetch-noshch responsibility odpowiedzialność ohd-povyed-zahl-noshch care dbać dbahch save ratować / oszczędzać rah-toh-vahch / ohsh-chend-zahch protect chronić hroh-neech future przyszłość psi-shwoshch 🤝 Join our Learn Polish Podcast Community ✦ Website: https://www.learnpolishpodcast.com/ & https://learnpolish.podbean.com/ ✦ YouTube: / https://www.youtube.com/@learnpolish ✦ Facebook: / https://www.facebook.com/learnpolishpodcast/ ✦ TikTok: / https://www.tiktok.com/@roycoughlanpodcaster ✦ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/learnpolishpodcast/ Teatro de idiomas Polish for all foreigners Hi, I’m Ania, founder of Teatro de Idiomas. Learning Polish with us isn’t just effective — it’s fun, inspiring, and super exciting! We teach through Spanish, English, or Russian, so you can learn Polish in a language you already know and feel comfortable with. https://...
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    15 mins
  • #581 What I Did as a Child – Co robiłem jako dziecko

    #581 What I Did as a Child – Co robiłem jako dziecko
    Apr 5 2026
    What I Did as a Child – Co robiłem jako dziecko "Co robiłem jako dziecko" means "what I did as a child," and in this nostalgic micro-lesson you'll say it like you're flipping through old photo albums with your Polish grandmother. First you hear the phrase at native speed, then slowed down so you can master the rolling "r" and the soft "dziecko." We drop it into three memory-lane-ready sentences: – "Kiedy byłem mały…" (When I was little…) – "Lubiłem się bawić." (I liked to play.) – "To było dawno temu." (That was a long time ago.) Repeat-along track included—perfect while you reminisce or share your own childhood stories. Challenge: Tell us in the comments what YOU did as a child—reply in Polish and Ania might sing your answer in the next episode What we discussed: 0:00 Welcome & QR Code 0:45 "Dziecko" - The Polish Word for Child 1:30 Childhood Bedroom Memories 2:30 Sports & Experiments 3:30 School & Newspapers 4:30 University & Opinions 5:30 Wishes & Dashboards 6:30 Stars & Classrooms 7:30 Time & Dance 8:30 Building & Creating 9:30 Television & Media 10:30 Graphs & Grades 11:30 Comics & Parks 12:30 Photos & Memories 13:30 Games & Play 14:30 Suggestions & Ideas 15:30 Early Jobs & Studies 16:30 Army & Activities 17:30 Toys & Cars 18:30 Sunset & Evening Play 19:30 Mom's Voice & Family 20:30 Growing Up & Yesterday 21:30 Fitness & Sports 22:30 Comfort & Balm 23:30 National & Sharing 24:30 Adult Life & Planning 25:30 Vision & Yesterday's Story 26:30 Short Stories & Patches 27:30 Royal Games & Health 28:30 Memories & Reports 29:30 Calls & Moods 30:30 Sports & Chores 31:30 Swimming & Memories 32:30 Web & Changes 33:30 Books & People 34:30 School Initiatives 35:30 Travel & Problems 36:30 Chats & Opinions 37:30 Goals & School Sheets 38:30 Status & Movies 39:30 Platforms & QR Code 40:30 Your Turn to Practice! English Polish Pronunciation Guide child dziecko dzyeh-tsoh childhood dzieciństwo dzyeh-cheen-stvo memory wspomnienie vspo-mnyeh-nyeh to remember pamiętać pah-myeh-tahch to forget zapomnieć zah-pom-nyehch to play bawić się / grać bah-veech sheh / grahch toy zabawka zah-bahf-kah game gra grah school szkoła shkoh-wah teacher nauczyciel / nauczycielka now-chi-tyel / now-chi-tyel-kah friend przyjaciel / przyjaciółka psi-ya-chyel / psi-ya-choow-kah family rodzina roh-jee-nah mom mama mah-mah dad tata tah-tah brother brat braht sister siostra syoh-strah home dom dohm room pokój poh-kooy bed łóżko woo-shkoh to sleep spać spahch to eat jeść yeshch favorite food ulubione jedzenie oo-loo-byoh-neh yeh-dzeh-nyeh sport sport sport football/soccer piłka nożna peew-kah nozh-nah ping pong ping pong ping pong swimming pływanie pwih-vah-nyeh bicycle rower roh-ver to read czytać chi-tahch book książka kyohnsh-kah comic book komiks koh-meeks TV telewizja teh-leh-veez-yah cartoon bajka bahy-kah video game gra wideo / gra komputerowa grah vyeh-deh-oh / grah kom-poo-teh-roh-vah to sing śpiewać shpyeh-vahch song piosenka pyoh-sen-kah to dance tańczyć tahyn-chich party impreza eem-preh-zah birthday urodziny oo-roh-jee-ni holiday wakacje / ferie vah-kah-tsyeh / feh-ryeh summer lato lah-toh winter zima zee-mah to grow up dorastać doh-rah-stahch adult dorosły / dorosła doh-roh-swi / doh-roh-swah young młody / młoda mwoh-di / mwoh-dah old stary / stara stah-ri / stah-rah yesterday wczoraj fchoh-rah-y today dziś dzeesh tomorrow jutro yoo-troh long ago dawno temu dahv-noh teh-moo always zawsze zahf-sheh never nigdy neeg-di sometimes czasami chah-sah-mee often często chen-stoh 🤝 Join our Learn Polish Podcast Community ✦ Website: https://www.learnpolishpodcast.com/ & https://learnpolish.podbean.com/ ✦ YouTube: / https://www.youtube.com/@learnpolish ✦ Facebook: / https://www.facebook.com/learnpolishpodcast/ ✦ TikTok: / https://www.tiktok.com/@roycoughlanpodcaster ✦ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/learnpolishpodcast/ Teatro de idiomas Polish for all foreigners Hi, I’m Ania, founder of Teatro de Idiomas. Learning Polish with us isn’t just effective — it’s fun, inspiring, and super exciting! We teach through Spanish, English, or Russian, so you can learn Polish in a language you already know and feel comfortable with. https://www.instagram.com/teatrodeidiomas/ https://teatrodeidiomas.pl/pl/ I have just launched my PodFather Podcast Coach Community https://www.skool.com/podfather/about Start your own SKOOl Academy https://www.skool.com/signup?ref=c72a37fe832f49c584d7984db9e54b71 All about Roy / Brain Gym & Virtual Assistants at ⁠https://roycoughlan.com/⁠ Do you want to unlock your potential? https://www.skool.com/brainfitness/about #Wspomnienia #Memories #Dorastanie #GrowingUp #LearnPolishOnline #PolishVocabulary #LanguageLearning #PolishCulture #Nostalgia #Dziecko #LearnPolish #PolishLanguage #Dzieciństwo #Childhood #PolishPodcast
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    20 mins
  • #580 Happy Easter – Wesołych Świąt

    #580 Happy Easter – Wesołych Świąt
    Apr 3 2026
    Easter – Wielkanoc "Wielkanoc" means "Easter," and in this festive micro-lesson you'll say it like you're gathered around the święconka basket waiting for the Easter blessing. First you hear the word at native speed, then slowed down so you can master the majestic "Wiel" and the soft "kanoc." We drop it into three celebration-ready sentences: – "Wesołych Świąt Wielkanocnych!" (Happy Easter!) – "Maluję pisanki." (I'm painting Easter eggs.) – "Idę na święconkę." (I'm going for the Easter blessing.) Repeat-along track included—perfect while you dye eggs, bake mazurek, or prepare your Easter basket. Challenge: Tell us in the comments how YOU celebrate Easter—reply in Polish and we'll feature the most festive answers. What we Discussed: 0:00 Welcome & QR Code 0:45 Easter Time & Opportunities 1:30 Easter Movies & Bible 2:30 Easter Soup & Learning 3:30 Names & Traditions 4:30 Easter Preparations 5:30 Cleaning for Easter 6:30 Easter Mushrooms & Food 7:30 Easter Pockets & Apps 8:30 Easter Work & Books 9:30 Easter Questions 10:30 Easter Kisses & Treats 11:30 Easter Stage & Keys 12:30 Easter Memories 13:30 Easter Voting & Water 14:30 White Easter & Snow 15:30 Simple Easter & Robes 16:30 Easter Songs & Techniques 17:30 Easter Travel & Changes 18:30 Good Friday 19:30 Easter Chocolate 20:30 Easter Duck & Cousins 21:30 Family Easter & Registration 22:30 Easter Design & Birthdays 23:30 Easter Sounds & Sharing 24:30 Easter Games & Lessons 25:30 Easter Policy & Video 26:30 Virtual Easter & Friends 27:30 Your Turn to Practice!. English Polish Pronunciation Guide Easter wielkanoc vyel-kah-nots Happy Easter wesołych świąt veh-soh-wikh sh'yont Easter eggs pisanki pee-sahn-kee Easter Monday poniedziałek wielkanocny poh-nyeh-dzyah-wek vyel-kah-nots-ni Good Friday wielki piątek vyel-kee pyon-tek Holy Saturday wielka sobota vyel-kah soh-boh-tah Easter Sunday niedziela wielkanocna nyeh-dzyeh-lah vyel-kah-nots-nah Easter basket koszyk wielkanocny koh-shik vyel-kah-nots-ni blessing błogosławieństwo bwoh-goh-swah-vyehn-stfoh church kościół kohsh-choo-w priest ksiądz kyohnsh holy water woda święcona voh-dah sh'yehn-tsaw-nah lamb (Easter) baranek bah-rah-nehk ham szynka shinka sausage kiełbasa kyehw-bah-sah bread chleb hlehp cake ciasto / mazurek chahs-toh / mah-zoo-rehk chocolate czekolada che-ko-lah-dah bunny królik / zajączek kroo-leek / zah-yon-chehk chick kurczaczek / pisklę koor-chah-chehk / peesk-weng spring wiosna vyohs-nah resurrection zmartwychwstanie zmar-tvih-stah-nyeh faith wiara vyah-rah family rodzina roh-jee-nah tradition tradycja trah-di-tsya custom zwyczaj zvi-chahy decorate dekorować deh-ko-roh-vahch paint malować mah-loh-vahch dye barwić bar-veech pattern wzór vzoor color kolor koh-lor red czerwony cher-voh-ni green zielony zyeh-loh-ni yellow żółty zhoo-ti hunt (eggs) szukać shoo-kahch find znaleźć znah-lehshch hide chować hoh-vahch basket koszyk koh-shik willow branch bazie bah-zyeh palm palma pahl-mah procession procesja proh-tseh-tsya #LearnPolish #PolishLanguage #Wielkanoc #Easter #PolishPodcast #WesołychŚwiąt #Pisanki #Święconka #WielkiPiątek #PolishTradition #PolishCulture #LearnPolishOnline #PolishVocabulary #LanguageLearning #EasterEggs #EasterMonday #PolishHolidays #Shorts #LanguageShorts #Polyglot #StudyPolish #PolishForBeginners
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    16 mins
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