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Jobs and Work in Polish
These are the 21 words for jobs and work that the Jasny Polski course teaches first — the ones that turn up in your first real conversations. Each comes with a sentence, so you can see how the word behaves rather than only what it means.
How to use these words
The question is Kim jesteś z zawodu? — literally "who are you by profession"; in context Kim jesteś? alone is enough. The answer puts the job in the instrumental case: Jestem lekarzem, Jestem nauczycielką. Jestem lekarz is the classic beginner's mistake.
Most jobs come in pairs: kelner and kelnerka, lekarz and lekarka, student and studentka. Some don't — a woman is usually inżynier too. Where you work usually takes w and the locative: Pracuję w biurze, Pracuję w firmie.
Work and jobs: 21 words
| Polish | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| komputer noun m | computer | Komputer, telefon, lampa. |
| kim other | who (in the question Kim jesteś? — what do you do?) | Kim jesteś? |
| student noun m | student (man) | Jestem studentem. |
| studentka noun f | student (woman) | Jestem studentką. |
| lekarz noun m | doctor (man) | Marek jest lekarzem. |
| lekarka noun f | doctor (woman) | Ola jest lekarką. |
| nauczyciel noun m | teacher (man) | Adam jest nauczycielem. |
| nauczycielka noun f | teacher (woman) | Marta jest nauczycielką. |
| kelner noun m | waiter | Adam jest kelnerem. |
| kelnerka noun f | waitress | Ewa jest kelnerką. |
| inżynier noun m | engineer (a woman is also inżynier) | Pani Nowak jest inżynierem. |
| kierowca noun m | driver | Marek jest kierowcą. |
| dzwonić verb | to call, to phone | Szef dzwoni codziennie. |
| pracować verb | to work | Pracuję w szkole. |
| praca noun f | work, job | Praca i szkoła. |
| biuro noun n | office | To jest nowe biuro. |
| firma noun f | company, firm | Firma jest mała. |
| zawód noun m | profession, occupation | Jaki masz zawód? |
| list noun m | letter (the one you post) | Piszę list. |
| szef noun m | boss, manager | Szef nazywa się Marek. |
| koleżanka noun f | friend, workmate (a woman) | Moja koleżanka studiuje. |
The nouns by gender
- Masculine (ten): komputer, student, lekarz, nauczyciel, kelner, inżynier, kierowca, zawód, list, szef
- Feminine (ta): studentka, lekarka, nauczycielka, kelnerka, praca, firma, koleżanka
- Neuter (to): biuro
Check yourself
How do you say “computer” in Polish?
How do you say “waiter” in Polish?
How do you say “driver” in Polish?
How do you say “office” in Polish?
How do you say “letter (the one you post)” in Polish?
Grammar you need for these words
- być — the Polish verb 'to be'
- Polish verbs in the present: the three conjugations
- Miejscownik: saying where, in Polish
Where the course teaches these words
- 6. Jobs and where you are from in Polish 11 words from this page
- 9. Three types of Polish verbs 9 words from this page
- 10. Saying what you like in Polish 2 words from this page
Related topics
- School and Study in Polish 11 words
- Common Polish Verbs 27 words
- People and Pronouns in Polish 24 words
Turn this into something you can actually say.
Practise this in Jasny Polski →Free to start. No card needed.