Learn Hardcore Polish: W aptece proszę o lekarstwo i wodę. - At the pharmacy I ask for the medicine and water.

Because after the preposition w meaning "in/at," Polish uses the locative case. The noun apteka (pharmacy) is feminine; its locative singular is aptece. The spelling change k → c before -e is regular in this pattern: -ka → -ce (e.g., ręka → ręce, półka → półce). So: w aptece = in/at the pharmacy.

What cases are "lekarstwo" and "wodę," and why are they different?

Both are in the accusative singular because prosić o (to ask for) takes the accusative.

lekarstwo is neuter; neuter accusative singular looks like the nominative singular, so it stays lekarstwo.
wodę comes from feminine woda; feminine accusative singular typically ends in -ę: woda → wodę.

What does the little word "o" do here? Can I omit it?

o is the preposition “for” used with prosić. With proszę, you should keep o + accusative. If you want a no-preposition version, switch to poproszę:

Proszę o paragon. (I’m asking for a receipt.)
Poproszę paragon. (I’ll take a receipt, please.)

What’s the difference between "proszę", "poproszę", "Czy mogę prosić o...?", and "Chciałbym/Chciałabym..."?

Proszę o ... = I (am) ask(ing) for ...; neutral/literal.
Poproszę ... = I’ll have ... please; the most common way to order in shops.
Czy mogę prosić o ...? = May I ask for ...? More polite.
Chciałbym/Chciałabym ... = I would like ... (male/female speaker). Very polite and soft.

Why is it "w" and not "we" before "aptece"?

Polish uses we instead of w only to ease pronunciation before certain initial clusters, especially words beginning with w- or f- plus another consonant: we Wrocławiu, we Włoszech, we Francji, we wtorek. Before a vowel like a- in aptece, regular w is used: w aptece.

Can I say "na aptece"?

No. For being at/in a pharmacy, Polish uses w aptece. While na is used with some places (e.g., na poczcie = at the post office, na uniwersytecie = at the university), it’s not used with apteka in this sense.

How do I say “I’m going to the pharmacy” (direction) vs “I’m at the pharmacy” (location)?

Direction: Idę do apteki. (do + genitive)
Location: Jestem w aptece. (w + locative) Polish normally uses do (to) for motion towards places like shops and buildings.

Is "lekarstwo" the right word here? What about "lek"?

lekarstwo is everyday, general “medicine/remedy.”
lek is more technical/formal, used a lot by professionals and on packaging; plural leki (“medicines”). At a counter you’ll usually name the product or type: Poproszę ibuprofen / lek przeciwbólowy (a painkiller).

Why does "wodę" end with -ę, and how should I pronounce it?

The -ę marks the accusative singular of many feminine -a nouns (here, woda → wodę). In careful speech, final ę is nasalized. In everyday speech before a pause, it often sounds like plain e:

wodę ≈ “VO-deh” Before a consonant, it can sound like “en/em”: wodę proszę ≈ “VO-den PRO-sheh”.

How do you pronounce each word naturally?

W aptece ≈ “vap-TE-tseh” (stress on the second-to-last syllable)
proszę ≈ “PRO-sheh”
o ≈ “oh”
lekarstwo ≈ “le-KAR-stvo”
i ≈ “ee”
wodę ≈ “VO-deh” Polish stress is almost always on the second-to-last syllable.

Can I change the word order?

Yes, Polish word order is flexible, but keep it natural:

W aptece proszę o lekarstwo i wodę. (neutral, clear)
Proszę o lekarstwo i wodę. (also fine; the place is obvious from context)
Proszę o lekarstwo i wodę w aptece. (grammatical but sounds odd, as if contrasting locations)

Do I need articles like “a/the”?

No. Polish has no articles. Context covers what English expresses with “a/the.”

How would I request specific types or quantities?

Some useful patterns:

Poproszę butelkę wody (mineralnej/niegazowanej/gazowanej). = a bottle of (mineral/still/sparkling) water.
Poproszę wodę niegazowaną/ gazowaną. = still/sparkling water.
Poproszę lek przeciwbólowy. = a painkiller.
Poproszę ibuprofen 200 mg.
Poproszę syrop na kaszel / krople do nosa. = cough syrup / nasal drops.

Is "i" the only option for “and”? What about "oraz" or "a"?

i = the default “and.”
oraz = “and” but more formal/literary; fine in writing.
a = “and/but,” contrasts or shifts topics (not used here).

Do adjectives have to agree with these nouns?

Yes. Any adjective must match the noun in case, number, and gender:

o mocne lekarstwo (neuter, accusative)
o zimną wodę (feminine, accusative) In ordering, Polish often drops the obvious noun: poproszę małą (butelkę wody) = “a small (one), please,” with “bottle” understood.

“Ask for” vs “ask about”: what’s the difference?

prosić o + accusative = ask for (request something): Proszę o lekarstwo.
pytać o + accusative = ask about (seek information): Pytam o lekarstwo (I’m asking about a medicine—e.g., how it works).