Polish · Awaria / holowanie
Your car will not start and you ask passers-by for help: what to say in Polish
Your car will not start and you ask passers-by for help.
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How it's done. People in Poland gladly help to jump-start a car from another battery; afterwards drive for at least half an hour so that the battery charges.Prepared by the Movko team, November 2026. This is language help, not legal or medical advice: check the rules with the office itself.
Cheat sheet for your visit
The first phrase is open: tap ▶ to listen, or “Show” to show it to the other person. The rest of the dialogue is in the course in the app.
1
YOU START
Przepraszam, mój samochód nie chce zapalić. Czy ktoś może mi pomóc?
Psheh-PRAH-shuhm, mooy suh-MOH-khoot nyeh khtseh zuh-PAH-leetsy. Chih ktosy MOH-zheh mee POH-moots?
Excuse me, my car won't start. Can somebody help me?
Or say:Przepraszam, akumulator jest rozładowany. Czy ma ktoś kable rozruchowe?
Psheh-PRAH-shuhm, uh-koo-moo-LAH-tor yehst roz-vuh-doh-VAH-nih. Chih mah ktosy KAH-bleh roz-roo-KHOH-veh?
THEY SAY
Tak, mam kable w bagażniku. Gdzie stoi samochód?Tahk, mahm KAH-bleh v buh-guhzh-NEE-koo. Gdzyeh STOH-ee suh-MOH-khoot?
Yes, I have leads in the boot. Where is the car?
They might also say:
Tak, nie ma problemu. Podstawię swój samochód obok.
Tahk, nyeh mah proh-BLEH-moo. Pots-TAH-vyeh sfooy suh-MOH-khoot OH-bok.
Yes, no problem. I'll put my car next to yours.
2
YOU REPLY
Tam, naprzeciwko. Otworzę maskę.
Tahm, nuhp-sheh-TSEEF-koh. Ot-FOH-zheh MAHS-keh.
Over there, opposite. I'll open the bonnet.
THEY SAY
Dobrze. Podłączę kable do obu akumulatorów. Proszę uruchomić silnik.DOB-zheh. Poh-DVOHN-cheh KAH-bleh doh OH-boo uh-koo-moo-luh-TOH-roof. PROH-sheh oo-roo-KHOH-meetsy SEEL-neek.
Good. I'll connect the leads to both batteries. Please start the engine.
3
YOU REPLY
Działa! Bardzo dziękuję!
DZYAH-vuh! BAHRD-zoh dzyayn-KOO-eh!
It works! Thank you very much!
THEY SAY
Nie ma za co. Proszę jechać jeszcze pół godziny, żeby akumulator się naładował.Nyeh mah zah tsoh. PROH-sheh YEH-khuhtsy YEHSH-cheh poov god-ZEE-nih, ZHEH-bih uh-koo-moo-LAH-tor syeh nuh-vuh-DOH-vuhv.
Don't mention it. Drive for another half hour so that the battery charges.
4
YOU FINISH
Zrobię to. Jeszcze raz dziękuję!
ZROH-byeh toh. YEHSH-cheh rahs dzyayn-KOO-eh!
I will. Thanks again!
The course is in the app
This dialogue is part of the course “Polish for life in Poland”: 416 situations with audio, a pronunciation guide and spaced review.
On the website the first dialogue, the 112 category, the rescue phrases and the “Basics” are fully open.
Words worth knowing
Przepraszam
Psheh-PRAH-shuhm
verb
excuse me, sorry
samochód
suh-MOH-khoot
noun
car
chce
khtseh
verb
wants
zapalić
zuh-PAH-leetsy
verb
to start
może
MOH-zheh
verb
can
pomóc
POH-moots
verb
to help
41 more words, with explanations, base forms and tap-a-word help, are in the app.
If you did not understand
Proszę powtórzyć.
PROH-sheh pof-TOO-zhitsy.
Please repeat that.
Proszę mówić wolniej.
PROH-sheh MOO-veetsy VOL-nyay.
Please speak more slowly.
Similar situations
The car broke down on the road and you phone roadside assistanceAwaria / holowanie · A2 in the app
→Your car broke down on the road and you phone for helpAwaria / holowanie · A2 in the app
→You buy compulsory third-party liability insurance for the carRejestracja / ubezpieczenie · A2 in the app
→You ask whether you can drive on a Ukrainian licence and whether you need to exchange itPrawo jazdy · A2 in the app
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