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### "I would like" – Chciałbym & Chciałabym

In English, we say "I would like" to state desires or make polite requests. Polish uses the conditional mood of the verb *chcieć* (to want) for this.

Because these forms are built on past-tense structures, they change depending on the gender of the speaker:
- If you are a man, use **chciałbym**.
- If you are a woman, use **chciałabym**.

To express what you would like to do, simply follow this word with an infinitive verb (such as *zarezerwować* - to book, or *przymierzyć* - to try on).

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### Making Appointments and Requests

You can pair *chciałbym* or *chciałabym* with any infinitive to fit the situation. Two very useful verbs for requests are *umówić się* (to make an appointment) and *poprosić o* (to ask for).

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### "Can I..." and "Can we..."

Another polite way to request something is to ask a question using **Czy mogę...** (Can I...) or **Czy możemy...** (Can we...).

Just like with *chciałbym* / *chciałabym*, follow these phrases with an infinitive verb, such as *poprosić* (to ask) or *dostać* (to get).

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Polite requests (chciałbym, chciałabym)

adjective

adverb

conjunction

determiner

interjection

noun

numeral

particle

predicative

preposition

pronoun

proper noun

sentence

verb

This is (to jest)

The verb to be, singular (być)

Formal address (Pan, Pani)

Demonstrative pronouns (ten, ta, to)

Adjective agreement

Negation (nie)

Basic questions (czy, kto, co, gdzie, jak)

The verb to be, plural (być)

Present tense -m/-sz verbs

Reflexive verbs (się)

Coordinating conjunctions (i, a, ale)

Feminine direct objects (Accusative)

Inanimate direct objects (Accusative)

Animate masculine direct objects (Accusative)

Present tense verbs 2 (-ę, -isz / -ysz)

Expressing location (w, na)

Locative adjective agreement

Professions and nationalities (Instrumental)

Accompaniment (z + Instrumental)

Present tense verbs 3 (-ę, -esz)

Plural possessives (nasz, wasz)

Numbers 1 to 10

Genitive of possession

Genitive of negation

Lack or absence (nie ma)

Basic quantifiers (dużo, mało, trochę)

Liking things (podoba mi się)

Modal verbs (móc, musieć)

Subordinating conjunctions (bo, że)

Unidirectional motion verbs (iść, jechać)

Expressing age (mieć... lat)

Habitual motion (chodzić, jeździć)

Expressing destination (do)

Days of the week (poniedziałek, wtorek...)

Plural nouns for objects and animals

Plural nouns for people

Plural adjective agreement

Accusative object pronouns (go, ją, je...)

The past tense of to be (był)

Singular past tense (-łem, -łam...)

Expressing age (mieć + lata / lat)

Plural past tense (-li / -ły)

Perfective past tense

Future tense (będę + infinitive)

Age: one year (mieć rok)

Prices and currency (złoty, grosz)

Destination (na + accusative)

Non-masculine plurals (-e, -y, -i)

Instrumental pronouns (ze mną, z tobą)

To know (znać vs wiedzieć)

The future perfective tense

The imperative mood

Months of the year (styczeń, luty)

Greetings and farewells (dzień dobry, cześć)

Introducing yourself (mam na imię)

Thank you and sorry (dziękuję, przepraszam)

Left, right, up and down (po lewej stronie)

Parts of the body (ręka, noga)

Parts of the day (dzień, noc, południe)

What is it like? (jaki, jaka, jakie)

Speaking Polish (mówić po polsku)

Instrumental for adjectives (dobrym, dobrą)

Please do... (proszę + infinitive)

Interests (interesować się + Instrumental)

Can one? (można, trzeba, nie wolno)

By bus or by train (jechać autobusem)

Where are you from? (jestem z Polski)

Where exactly? (obok, przy, przed, za, pod, nad)

What time is it? (Która godzina?)

Not seeing her (go, jej, ich; niego, niej, nich)

When I have time (kiedy as a conjunction)

Irregular past stems (miał, mieli)

The verb 'iść' in the past (szedł, szli)

Imperfective future (będę odpoczywał)

Past aspect (robił vs zrobił)

Future aspect (będzie malował vs pomaluje)

Perfective motion with po- (pójść, pojechać)

Arrival verbs with przy- (przyjść, przyjechać)

Departure verbs with wy- (wyjść, wyjechać)

The Vocative case (Panie, Mamo)

Plural possessives (moi, moje)

Reflexive possessive pronouns (swój)

Genitive plural of masculine nouns (-ów, -y, -i)

Genitive plural of feminine and neuter nouns

Genitive plural of adjectives (-ych, -ich)

Accusative plural of masculine personal nouns

Question	Answer
I would like (m) / chciałabym (f)	chciałbym
to book / to reserve	zarezerwować
the table (restaurant / cafe)	stolik
I would like to book a table for Friday.	Chciałbym zarezerwować stolik na piątek.
I would like to book this big room.	Chciałabym zarezerwować ten duży pokój.
to ask for / to request	poprosić
for (asking for something)	o
Can I ask for a clean plate?	Czy mogę poprosić o czysty talerz?
to make an appointment	umówić się
I would like to arrange a meeting with your boss.	Chciałbym umówić się na spotkanie z twoim szefem.
the appointment / the visit	wizyta
I would like to make an appointment for Monday at two.	Chciałabym umówić się na wizytę w poniedziałek o drugiej.
I would like to ask for a knife and a fork.	Chciałbym poprosić o nóż i widelec.
the discount	zniżka
Can we get a discount on the tickets?	Czy możemy dostać zniżkę na bilety?
I would like to ask for the bill for lunch.	Chciałabym poprosić o rachunek za obiad.
to try on	przymierzyć
I would like to try on this suit with a new shirt.	Chciałbym przymierzyć ten garnitur z nową koszulą.
the sweatshirt / the hoodie	bluza
I would like to try on this small hoodie.	Chciałabym przymierzyć tę małą bluzę.
Is there a discount on this pretty hoodie?	Czy na tę ładną bluzę jest zniżka?
Your next appointment is on Wednesday at one o'clock.	Twoja następna wizyta jest w środę o pierwszej.
to receive	otrzymać
I would like to reserve a table and receive the menu.	Chciałabym zarezerwować stolik i otrzymać menu.
I would like to receive a discount.	Chciałbym otrzymać zniżkę.