Polish · Automat biletowy
The ticket machine does not work as you expected: what to say in Polish
The ticket machine does not work as expected.
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How it's done. In the machine look for buttons bilet jednorazowy, wybierz (choose), zapłać (pay), kartą (by card). If it doesn't work, ask people: Jak działa ten automat?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, jak działa ten automat?
Psheh-PRAH-shuhm, yahk DZYAH-vuh tayn ow-TOH-muht?
Excuse me, how does this machine work?
Or say:Przepraszam, czy ktoś może mi pomóc z automatem?
Psheh-PRAH-shuhm, chih ktosy MOH-zheh mee POH-moots z ow-toh-MAH-tem?
THEY SAY
Najpierw proszę wybrać rodzaj biletu.NIGH-pyehrf PROH-sheh VIH-bruhtsy ROD-zigh bee-LEH-too.
First choose the type of ticket.
They might also say:
Proszę wybrać bilet i nacisnąć przycisk zapłać.
PROH-sheh VIH-bruhtsy BEE-let ee nuh-TSEES-nohntsy PSHIH-tseesk ZAH-pvuhtsy.
Please choose a ticket and press the pay button.
2
YOU REPLY
A potem?
Uh POH-tem?
And then?
THEY SAY
Potem przykłada się kartę do czytnika.POH-tem pshih-KWAH-duh syeh KAHR-teh doh chit-NEE-kuh.
Then you hold the card to the reader.
3
YOU FINISH
Już rozumiem, dziękuję!
Yoosh roh-ZOO-myehm, dzyayn-KOO-eh!
I understand now, thank you!
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
jak
yahk
adverb
how
działa
DZYAH-vuh
verb
works
automat
ow-TOH-muht
noun
machine
Najpierw
NIGH-pyehrf
adverb
first
proszę
PROH-sheh
verb
please
14 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 mi to pokazać.
PROH-sheh mee toh poh-KAH-zuhtsy.
Please show me.
Similar situations
The machine does not give changeAutomat biletowy · A2 in the app
→The train is late and you ask about your connectionOpóźnienie / awaria · A2 in the app
→The train is cancelled and a bus runs insteadOpóźnienie / awaria · A2 in the app
→You ask the driver whether the bus goes to the centreAutobus / tramwaj · A1 in the app
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