The Cactus Course Outlines provide a learning framework for the Cactus Foreign Language Evening Courses. They are designed to provide you with a good idea of what you might cover over a 10-week period, and include typical themes, grammar and vocabulary fields. They are flexible rather than prescriptive, in that our teachers may decide to adapt their learning plans to the specific level, aims and interests of their classes.

• Polish Level 1
• Polish Level 2
• Polish Level 3

Level 1 Polish is a 10-week introductory course of the Polish language. The stress is given to a communicative practice with some essential grammar background. It begins with ways of introducing oneself (formal/informal way) and pointing and naming common and useful objects around us. Polish sounds and letters and rules of the Polish pronaunciation are explained. Then follows the content of a course, which is divided into uses of language in various everyday situations (such as hotel, restaurant, shop).

Themes/Lexical fields can include the following elements:

• Introductions (informal and formal way) – inc. My name is… / I’m ….. It is nice to meet you, Please, meet John… This is John, this is Kasia, etc.
• Pointing common and useful objects, naming them: What is it? It is… This is…. That is…. Is this…..? Yes, it is. / No it isn’t,It is…
• Naming people – Who is this? This is Mr / Mrs...
• Small talk and „breaking the ice” (how to get from the formal mode on to the first-name terms): Jak sie masz?
• How are you? How are things? What a charming family!
• What a nice flat! etc. Please call me John.
• “I live here” – giving address.
• Asking for directions – Excuse me, could you tell me how to get to…? Go straight, turn left, walk straight pass the bank, carry on straight, turn right at the post office…
• Eating & drinking. Ordering food and drinks in restaurant / cafe. Names of popular meals.
• First shopping. Have you got…? How much is…? How much do I pay?
• Asking for time.

Grammar

• Formal / Informal mode in Polish
• Verbs and Verbs conjugation: To be / to have / to live / to remember / to start / to ask / to answer / to know / to be able to / to understand / to speak
• Present tense
• Nouns: genders in Polish and how to recognise them easily
• Adjectives: masculine, feminine and neutral forms
• Pronouns – subject, object, possessive
• Cases in Polish – short introduction. How it works? Polish cases in use (Nominativ, Instrumental, Accusativ)
• Word order – sentence, question
• Questions – yes/no, Is this…? Yes, it is… / No, it isn’t.
• Where is…? Who is it? Whose… it is? What is it like?
• Giving instructions (imperatives)

Other vocabulary

• Polish sounds and letters. The alphabet and the pronounciation
• Key prepositions
• Key functions – invitation, requests
• Key adjectives and adverbs – size, shape, personal opinion
• Most common colours
• Numbers – gradually: 1-10, 10-20, 20-100.
• Please & Thank you, good morning and good bye, hello.
• How to apologise and how to accept apologies.
• Directions
• Key linking words (and, or, but, so)

And...

• Lots of speaking/active practice
• Lots of listening
• W Szczebrzeszynie chrzaszcz brzmi w trzcinie!:
• W Pronunciation excercises – how to get your tongue round those tricky Polish sounds
• Some writing (ortography)

Level 2 Polish is for students who has already started learning Polish in the past (and still remember something) or who simply did the Level 1 Polish course at Cactus and want to continue. While still a lot of attention is given to a communicative practice, there is more grammar than in the level 1.

Themes/Lexical fields can include the following elements:

• Revision of the most important subjects covered by the Level 1 course.
• Describing things (colours, size, features, etc.): What is this… like? Whose… is it? Excuse me, is this… yours? Describing people – more accurate and richer with words such as: elegant / smart / handsome / helpful, etc.
• Jobs, hobbies and interests.
• Family – This is my brother. This is his wife. Her name is… etc. Talking about self & others, inc. family – key personal info incl. How old are you? What is your occupation?
• Days of the week – What day is it today?
• Questions about time – continuation. What time do you normally do…?
• Daily life – routines, free time. Going places (cinema, theatre, café…). Inviting and responding to invitations (how to accept and how to decline). Meetings and social gatherings. Party and Leisure Time. Talking about leisure interests.
• Saying what you like, dislike, want or prefer.
• Describing weather.
• Money and Shopping – Please, can I have a… piece / a bit / a litre / a pack / a box / a few / many / lot of…?

Grammar

• Review & practise level 1 grammar topics.
• Singular vs. Plural. Which ending for a plural form of a given word?
• New verbs (incl. verbs of motion) and verbs conjugation: / to learn / to go / to ride=drive=go by bus/train,etc. – all covered by one Polish word jechac / to work / to be interested in / to fancy / to buy / to take / to write / to read / to listen / to repeat / to rest / to like / to prefer / to invite / to have to / to wait / to know.
• Imperatives (colloquial and polite forms).
• Lot of “action” verbs such as: to go=walk (Polish isc) / to enter / to exit / to sit down / to stand up / to run.
• Declension of nouns and adjectives – correct forms and when to use Instrumental, Accusativ, Genetiv, Locativ.
  Adverbs.
• Possesive forms (Accusativ & Genetiv in use).
• “There is”: Jest – “There isn’t”: Nie ma.
• Double negatives: Nic nie mam. / Nigdy nie pije mleka., etc.
• Possessives.
• ‘Want to + infinitive’.
• Clauses with “ze” (‘that’).
• Repetition of numbers: 20-100, 100-10000.

Other vocabulary

• Review & practise level 1 vocab (eg. through dialogue creation)
  More adjectives/adverbs – shape, personal opinion.
• Word-building: deminutive suffixes, adjectives – adverbs.
• More linking words (either… or… / neither… nor…)

And...

• Lots of speaking/active practice
• Lots of listening
• Pronunciation – key sounds
• Some emphisize on writing / correct Polish spelling

Themes/Lexical fields can include the following elements:

• Revision of the most important subjects covered by the previous course.
• Talking about self & others, inc. family – key personal info incl. How old are you? What is your occupation?
• Jobs, hobbies and interests.
• Days of week – What day is it today?
• Questions about time – continuation. What time do you normally do…?
• Daily life – routines, free time.
• Likes & dislikes.
• Describing weather.
• Health/illness.
• Money and Shopping – Please, can I have a… piece / a bit / a litre / a pack / a box / a few / many / lot of…?
• Meetings and social gatherings. Party and Leisure Time.
• Describing people – more accurate and richer with words such as: elegant / smart / handsome / helpful, etc.

Grammar

• Review & practise previous level grammar. (eg. through mixed tense work – present/past/future) &
• New verbs and verbs conjugation: to buy / to take / to write / to read / to listen / to repeat / to rest / to like / to invite / to prefer / to have to / to wait / to know.
  Lot of “action” verbs such as: to go=walk (Polish isc) / to enter / to exit / to sit down / to stand up / to run.
• Declension of nouns – forms and use of: Accusative, Genitive, Instrumental, Locative.
• Possessive forms (Accusative & Genitive in use).
• “There is”: Jest – “There isn’t”: Nie ma.
• Double negatives: Nic nie mam. / Nigdy nie pije mleka., etc.
• Possessives.
• ‘want to + infinitive’.

Other vocabulary

• Review & practise previous level vocab (eg. through dialogue creation)
• More adjectives/adverbs – shape, personal opinion.
• Word-building: diminutive suffixes
• More linking words (either… or… / neither… nor…)
• Numbers: 20-100, 100-1000, or even more if you’d like: 1000-1000000000!

And...

• Lots of speaking/active practice
• Lots of listening
• Pronunciation – key sounds
• Some emphasis on writing / correct Polish spelling