Polish · Zwrot / cło
The parcel is held up at customs: what to say in Polish
A parcel was held up at customs.
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How it's done. Parcels from outside the EU are sometimes held up by customs: you may have to pay duty or tax (cło, VAT) and submit documents; the notice comes from the carrier or Poczta Polska.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
Dzień dobry, moja przesyłka jest w urzędzie celnym. Co muszę zrobić?
Dzyayn DOH-brih, MOH-ah psheh-SIV-kuh yehst v oo-ZHAYND-zyeh TSEL-nim. Tsoh MOO-sheh ZROH-beetsy?
Good day, my shipment is at the customs office. What do I have to do?
Or say:Dzień dobry, dostałem informację o cle. Co to znaczy?
Dzyayn DOH-brih, dos-TAH-vem een-for-MAH-tsyeh oh tsleh. Tsoh toh ZNAH-chih?
THEY SAY
Musi pan zapłacić cło i podatek VAT.MOO-see pahn zuh-PVAH-tseetsy tsvoh ee poh-DAH-tek Vaht.
You must pay duty and VAT.
They might also say:
Przesyłka jest spoza Unii. Trzeba zapłacić cło.
Psheh-SIV-kuh yehst SPOH-zuh Oo-NEE-ee. TSHEH-buh zuh-PVAH-tseetsy tsvoh.
The shipment is from outside the Union. You must pay duty.
2
YOU FINISH
Jak mogę to zapłacić?
Yahk MOH-geh toh zuh-PVAH-tseetsy?
How can I pay it?
THEY SAY
Online albo w urzędzie celnym.Ohn-LIGHN AHL-boh v oo-ZHAYND-zyeh TSEL-nim.
Online or at the customs office.
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
Dzień
Dzyayn
noun
day
dobry
DOH-brih
adjective
good
przesyłka
psheh-SIV-kuh
noun
parcel, shipment
jest
yehst
verb
is
urzędzie
oo-ZHAYND-zyeh
noun
office (locative)
celnym
TSEL-nim
adjective
customs (locative)
17 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.
Proszę to napisać.
PROH-sheh toh nuh-PEE-suhtsy.
Please write it down.
Co to znaczy?
Tsoh toh ZNAH-chih?
What does this mean?
Similar situations
You return an online order at a drop-off point with a QR codeZwrot / cło · A2 in the app
→You sent the item back and the money has still not arrivedZwrot / cło · A2 in the app
→You were sent the wrong item and you write to the sellerZwrot / cło · A2 in the app
→You return an order from an online shopZwrot / cło · A2 in the app
→Found a mistake? Write to us and we will fix it. This is language help, not medical or legal advice.Report