# Are you Polish?



## Ktpo

Hello,

I was wondering, to ask someone "are you Polish?", can you say:

"Polski?" (for a man)
"polką?" (for a woman)

Thanks ahead for answering


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## Thomas1

Hello,

To answer your quesion, Ktpo, we need some information first.
What is the level of formality of your question? 
Are you talking to one person or to more? (tell if both)
Is the person you're talking to a man or a woman? (tell if both)


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## Ktpo

Thomas1 said:


> Hello,
> 
> To answer your quesion, Ktpo, we need some information first.
> What is the level of formality of your question?
> Are you talking to one person or to more? (tell if both)
> Is the person you're talking to a man or a woman? (tell if both)



When you ask 1 person, a stranger, or someone you have just met. 
I was wondering for asking both to a man and a woman (both being alone when you ask them).


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## Thomas1

Ktpo said:


> When you ask 1 person, a stranger, or someone you have just met.
> I was wondering for asking both to a man and a woman (both being alone when you ask them).


_Jest Pan Polakiem?_ or a more formal _Czy jest Pan Polakiem? _(for a male stranger)
_Jest Pani Polką? _or a  more formal _Czy jest Pani Polką? _(for a female stranger)

The same applies to the second situation if you don't address each other by your first names. If you do then use:
_Jesteś Polakiem?_ (for a male)
_Jesteś Polką?_ (for a female)


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## Ktpo

Thomas1 said:


> _Jest Pan Polakiem?_ or a more formal _Czy jest Pan Polakiem? _(for a male stranger)
> _Jest Pani Polką? _or a  more formal _Czy jest Pani Polką? _(for a female stranger)
> 
> The same applies to the second situation if you don't address each other by your first names. If you do then use:
> _Jesteś Polakiem?_ (for a male)
> _Jesteś Polką?_ (for a female)



Ok, great, thanks 

I just thought I had already heard "Polski?", but I must have dreamt it or something


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## konfit

Hi 

this is what I would suggest:

1. formal version for a man - Czy jest Pan Polakiem?
2. formal version for a woman - Czy jest Pani Polką?
3. informal version for a male friend - Czy jesteś Polakiem?
4. informal version for a female friend - Czy jesteś Polką?


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## Faycelina

Ktpo said:


> I just thought I had already heard "Polski?", but I must have dreamt it or something


Not at all. *Polski *is an adjective for Polish (male).

Eg. _polski _samochód
_polska _książka
_polskie _krzesło


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## Thomas1

Besides, you could have heard:
_Pochodzisz z Polski?/Czy pochodzi Pan/Pani z Polski? _(Do you come from Poland?)
Here _Polski _is the name of Poland in the genitive case.


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## El Torero

you might also have heard someone asking if you speak Polish:
_Czy znasz (język) polski? = Czy mówisz po polsku?
_A foreigner could simply ask "Polski?" to see if you were able to understand him, but it's not a full, gramatically correct sentence


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## ><FISH'>

I've heard simply "Polak?" countless times before. When I say something in Polish to someone, they will just say "Oh, Polak(?)", as if it is a certainty. It is ironic because my Polish skills are not that good, and my looks are distinctly non-Polish.


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## BezierCurve

Well, in any case it is good to be aware of that.


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## Cynthia F

I definitely agree that the term Polak is not used in a positive way in the town I live in.


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## ><FISH'>

I should add that my above statement is in reference to Poles who I come across. I have never really heard the term "Polack" being used by an Anglophone, except once in American media (even then it was pronounced atrociously).


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## Ben Jamin

Faycelina said:


> Not at all. *Polski *is an adjective for Polish (masculine).
> 
> Eg. _polski _samochód
> _polska _książka
> _polskie _krzesło


 
Male is about people (sex, biology), masculine is about substantives (gender, grammar).


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## Faycelina

Ben Jamin said:


> Male is about people (sex, biology), *masculine *is about substantives (gender, grammar).


thanx  this is exactly the word that was missing in my head at the time I was posting that message


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