Polish · Krawiec / szewc
The zip on your jacket has broken and you go to a seamstress: what to say in Polish
The zip in a jacket is broken and you go to a seamstress.
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How it's done. A zip is a zamek błyskawiczny, a button a guzik, a seam a szew; a seamstress (krawcowa) or tailor (krawiec) mends small things within a few days.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, w kurtce zepsuł się zamek błyskawiczny. Czy można go wymienić?
Dzyayn DOH-brih, f KOORT-tseh ZEP-soov syeh ZAH-mek bvis-kuh-VEECH-nih. Chih MOZH-nuh goh vih-MYEH-neetsy?
Good day, the zip in my jacket is broken. Can it be replaced?
Or say:Dzień dobry, mam zepsuty zamek w kurtce.
Dzyayn DOH-brih, mahm zep-SOO-tih ZAH-mek f KOORT-tseh.
THEY SAY
Tak, można. Proszę pokazać kurtkę.Tahk, MOZH-nuh. PROH-sheh poh-KAH-zuhtsy KOORT-keh.
Yes, it can. Please show me the jacket.
2
YOU REPLY
Oto ona. Zamek się zacina i nie zamyka się do końca.
OH-toh OH-nuh. ZAH-mek syeh zuh-TSEE-nuh ee nyeh zuh-MIH-kuh syeh doh KOHN-tsuh.
Here it is. The zip gets stuck and doesn't close all the way.
THEY SAY
Widzę. Trzeba wymienić cały zamek. Kosztuje czterdzieści złotych.VEED-zeh. TSHEH-buh vih-MYEH-neetsy TSAH-vih ZAH-mek. Kosh-TOO-eh chtehrd-ZYEHSY-tsee ZVOH-tikh.
I see. The whole zip has to be replaced. It costs forty zloty.
They might also say:
Wymiana zamka kosztuje czterdzieści złotych.
Vih-MYAH-nuh ZAHM-kuh kosh-TOO-eh chtehrd-ZYEHSY-tsee ZVOH-tikh.
Replacing the zip costs forty zloty.
3
YOU REPLY
Kiedy mogę odebrać kurtkę?
KYEH-dih MOH-geh oh-DEH-bruhtsy KOORT-keh?
When can I collect the jacket?
THEY SAY
Za trzy dni, w piątek po południu.Zah tshih dnee, f PYOHN-tek poh poh-VOOD-nyoo.
In three days, on Friday afternoon.
4
YOU REPLY
Dobrze. Czy dostanę numerek?
DOB-zheh. Chih dos-TAH-neh noo-MEH-rek?
Fine. Will I get a ticket number?
THEY SAY
Tak, proszę. Oto numerek.Tahk, PROH-sheh. OH-toh noo-MEH-rek.
Yes, please. Here is the number.
5
YOU FINISH
Dziękuję bardzo!
Dzyayn-KOO-eh BAHRD-zoh!
Thank you very much!
THEY SAY
Proszę bardzo.PROH-sheh BAHRD-zoh.
You're welcome.
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
kurtce
KOORT-tseh
noun
jacket (locative)
zepsuł
ZEP-soov
verb
broke (zepsuł się - broke down)
zamek
ZAH-mek
noun
lock
błyskawiczny
bvis-kuh-VEECH-nih
adjective
lightning-fast (zamek błyskawiczny - zip)
38 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.
Co to znaczy?
Tsoh toh ZNAH-chih?
What does this mean?
Similar situations
You leave your shoes with the cobbler to have the heels replacedKrawiec / szewc · A2 in the app
→The trousers are too long and you ask to have them shortenedKrawiec / szewc · A2 in the app
→You use a self-service laundrette for the first timePralnia · A2 in the app
→You hand in your phone to have the cracked screen replacedTelefon / abonament · A2 in the app
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