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Building site - Polish terms


Woodrat 1 | 1  
26 Apr 2008 /  #1
Can anyone help me translate a list of building site terms? eg pass me the nailer/hammer/tape measure? I've got a growing list and i would like to learn to speak polish to improve my workforce
Krzysztof 2 | 973  
26 Apr 2008 /  #2
first of all you need to learn "podaj cegłę" :)
(pass me the brick), which was a popular communist slogan (see the linked painting, there's also a song with that title).

then pronounciation, use this site: ivosoftware.com

(there's both male and female Polish voice, but there's a limit of 200 characters at once, so you need to listen the text in batches, just remember about the correct spelling, otherwise you hear different, non existing "words")

pass me the tape measure - podaj taśmę [mierniczą] (full name, but mierniczą can be omitted if there's no risk of misunderstanding: no other tapes, for example adhesive, in the area)

pass me the nailer - podaj (mi) pistolet do gwoździ
pass me the hammer - podaj (mi) młotek [mi = me, which I put in parenthesis, since you can use the sentence with or without "mi"]

Maybe this site will help you: Tools Eng-Pol
I can't say if it's all correct, because "Tool talk? Not my thing." :)
Bartolome 2 | 1,085  
26 Apr 2008 /  #3
Can anyone help me translate a list of building site terms? eg pass me the nailer/hammer/tape measure? I've got a growing list and i would like to learn to speak polish to improve my workforce

Why don't YOU force THEM to learn some damn English ? It's nice of you to learn some Polish, but ffs, talking some English in Britain never hurts.
Franek 8 | 271  
26 Apr 2008 /  #4
LOL!
This reminds me of a song that my father taught me a long time ago.
Malaze, mulaze coz wy tu budijecze
Pod jednym ciegelcie pod jednym ciegelcie
Do chmuru kladecie

Mulaze Mulaze co wam to poczebujecie
Czy waplo czy gliny
Czy pienkne drzewczyny
To wrzysko dostaniece

Please excuse my Polish spelling.. I have never been to Poland. This is what I learned from a Polish speaking household in the good old USA
scot - | 5  
26 Apr 2008 /  #5
and i would like to learn to speak polish to improve my workforce

why don't you use the money ...that you save with cheap labour...and take some lessons?
okgirl66 3 | 90  
26 Apr 2008 /  #6
Well if he wants to say "pass me the hammer...." it sounds as if he's working hard himself !! Good on you woodrat for bothering to learn.
scot - | 5  
26 Apr 2008 /  #7
If he employes british workers...for the full going rate....then they will understand him just great
OP Woodrat 1 | 1  
27 Apr 2008 /  #8
Thanks for that info, the guys i use try so hard with their english its only fair i try to learn polish. what a useful website.

Thanks for the encouraging comments all, and for the record I don't call £7.50 cheap for unskilled labour. Making the step between skilled and unskilled labour will be difficult for the polish if they don't get taught 'Carpenter talk' and Besides- i like learning new stuff myself. Thanks again

I'll let you know how i get on.

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