If you’ve ever travelled around Poland or spoken with people from different regions, you may have noticed that not everyone uses the same words for the same things. While standard Polish is taught in schools and used in media, many Poles continue to speak in ways that reflect their local heritage. These unique expressions, called regionalisms, are words or phrases specific to a particular part of the country. Sometimes they differ only slightly from standard Polish, while other times they sound completely unfamiliar even to native speakers from other areas.
Regionalisms often have deep cultural roots and reflect a region’s history, its former political boundaries, or contact with other languages. In this article, we explore the richness of Polish regional language by presenting some of the most distinctive examples found in various parts of the country.
Małopolska (Lesser Poland): „Polewka”, „brytfanka” and „półtorak”
In Kraków and the surrounding regions, you’ll encounter words that aren’t immediately understandable to someone from Warsaw. A great example is polewka, a word used for soup, although in standard Polish this might more generally refer to a thin, broth-like dish. Locally, it can refer to specific types of soups, often simple, like flour or sour rye soups.
Another well-known Małopolska word is brytfanka, which refers to a roasting pan. While some people across Poland might understand it thanks to its use in cookbooks, in other regions people might use terms like naczynie żaroodporne or simply blacha.
In everyday speech, you might also hear półtorak, used to describe something that is one and a half of a given unit – for instance, półtorak chleba would mean „one and a half loaves of bread”. While this form exists in the Polish language, it’s much more actively used and alive in the Małopolska region.
Śląsk (Silesia): „Szolka”, „hasiok”, „maszkety”
The Silesian dialect is perhaps the richest source of regionalisms in all of Poland. This is due to the region’s strong sense of identity and its complex history, which includes long periods of German influence. Many Silesian regionalisms stem from German loanwords or unique local development.
A classic example is szolka, which means a glass – derived from the German das Schälchen. In standard Polish, you’d use the word szklanka, but in Katowice or Ruda Śląska, ordering a drink in a szolka is perfectly normal.
Another Silesian term, hasiok, refers to a rubbish bin. It’s a word not used elsewhere in Poland, and its origin is likely German as well (der Haufen – a pile).
Silesians also love their maszkety – this charming word means „sweets” or „treats”. It’s affectionate and embedded in local culture, often used in family contexts when referring to candies or cakes.
Podhale and the Mountains: „Bryndza”, „kierpce”, „gazda”
In the southern highland regions, particularly in Podhale near Zakopane, the influence of the Goral (highlander) culture is very strong. The local dialect reflects centuries of isolation and unique mountain traditions.
Take bryndza, for example. While it refers to a type of cheese made from sheep’s milk, it also evokes strong cultural associations with the Tatra mountains and traditional shepherding.
The word kierpce describes traditional leather shoes worn by highlanders, which you won’t find in a typical Warsaw shop. Similarly, gazda refers to the head of a household or a farm – a respected figure in local society. His wife? She’s a gaździna.
These words are deeply tied to the region’s identity and often appear in folk songs, festivals, and daily speech among residents.
Wielkopolska (Greater Poland): „Fefry”, „bimba”, „szneka z glancem”
People from Poznań and surrounding areas are known for their linguistic quirks, which sometimes even make it into national humour. Perhaps the most famous is bimba, the regional word for a tram. While most Poles would say tramwaj, in Poznań it’s always been a bimba. The origin of the word is disputed – some say it mimics the sound the tram makes, while others point to Germanic influences.
Another unique expression is szneka z glancem, a sweet bun with icing. The name is rooted in German (Schnecke – snail), referencing the spiral shape of the pastry, while glanc refers to the shiny glaze on top. It’s a delicious example of how regional vocabulary reflects regional cuisine.
There’s also fefry, used to describe freckles. This term is rarely heard outside the region, and someone unfamiliar with it might not guess its meaning at all.
Podlasie and Eastern Poland: „Korniszony”, „prusaki”, „siudać”
The eastern regions of Poland, such as Podlasie, have their own set of unique words, sometimes with Belarusian or Ukrainian influences.
One of the more interesting words from this region is siudać, which means “to sit down” or “to take a seat”. It comes from a slightly different linguistic root than the standard siadać, but the meaning is essentially the same.
Korniszony is the word often used for pickled cucumbers, although this term is known nationwide, in some areas it’s used almost exclusively, even when referring to home-pickled rather than store-bought varieties.
Also notable is prusaki, which in the region can refer to cockroaches. While technically accurate (from the German Preuße), the term is mostly archaic or regional today.
Kashubia and the North: „Bëlny”, „kùń”, „bòrtnica”
In Kashubia, located in northern Poland, the Kashubian language still survives and strongly influences the local dialect. Kashubian is officially recognised as a regional language, and its speakers often mix it with Polish.
For example, kùń means „horse”, and bòrtnica refers to a beekeeper or a hollow tree used for beekeeping. These words wouldn’t be understood outside of the Kashubian context unless someone is familiar with the regional language.
Another term, bëlny, might be used to describe someone silly or clumsy, but it’s not present in the standard lexicon. In Kashubia, such terms survive in daily speech, especially among older generations.
The Role of Regionalisms Today
Regionalisms are more than just linguistic curiosities. They reflect local identity, history, migration, and contact with other cultures. They show how language lives and evolves differently in different places—even within a single country.
In recent years, there’s been growing interest in preserving and celebrating regional language. Regionalisms are taught in some schools, promoted during cultural festivals, and sometimes even used in local media. They also enrich the Polish language as a whole, providing a sense of diversity and texture.
At the same time, the influence of media, the internet, and migration means that many regionalisms are fading or becoming less distinct. Young people may choose more standardised forms, especially if they move to bigger cities or consume content from outside their region.