Senses and perceiving
Zmysły i postrzeganie
- Describe taste, smell, sight, sound and touch
- Compare things
Explore Polish vocabulary related to senses like smak (taste), dotyk (touch), and węch (smell), and feelings such as smaczny (tasty) and zimny (cold). Practice describing sensations using sentences like "Kawa jest gorzka" and "Dotykam miękkiego koca."
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercise 1: Reorder sentences
Instruction: Make correct sentences and translate.
Exercise 2: Match a word
Instruction: Match the translations
Exercise 3: Cluster the words
Instruction: Assign the following words to the appropriate categories: "Senses" or "Feelings" to make them easier to remember.
Zmysły
Odczucia
Ćwiczenie 4: Conversation exercise
Instrukcja:
- Describe the opposite in the pictures using comparatives (more than, as, less than). (Describe the opposite in the pictures using comparatives (more than, as, less than).)
- Ask the person sitting next to you, if they prefer sweet or salty food, sweet or bitter drinks,... (Ask the person sitting next to you, if they prefer sweet or salty food, sweet or bitter drinks,...)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
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Kawa jest bardziej gorzka niż herbata. Coffee is more bitter than tea. |
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Jabłko jest twardsze niż banan. An apple is harder than a banana. |
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Kwiaty pachną lepiej niż skarpetki. Flowers smell better than socks. |
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Słone jedzenie smakuje równie dobrze jak słodkie jedzenie. Salty food tastes as good as sweet food. |
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Czy wolisz zapach kawy czy herbaty? Do you prefer the smell of coffee or tea? |
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Wolę gorzki zapach kawy. I prefer the bitter smell of coffee. |
| ... |
Exercise 5: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 6: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. Widzę, że jabłko ______ słodko.
(I see that the apple ______ tastes sweet.)2. Czuję, że kwiaty ______ świeżo.
(I feel that the flowers ______ smell fresh.)3. Słyszymy, jak dzieci ______ się na placu zabaw.
(We hear how children ______ laugh at the playground.)4. Dotykam tego miękkiego materiału i ______ się komfortowo.
(I touch this soft material and ______ feel comfortable.)Exercise 7: A walk in the park and discovering the senses
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Iść - Iść
Present
- ja idę
- ty idziesz
- on/ona/ono idzie
- my idziemy
- wy idziecie
- oni/one idą
Dochodzić - Dochodzić
Present
- ja dochodzę
- ty dochodzisz
- on/ona/ono dochodzi
- my dochodzimy
- wy dochodzicie
- oni/one dochodzą
Czuć - Czuć
Present
- ja czuję
- ty czujesz
- on/ona/ono czuje
- my czujemy
- wy czujecie
- oni/one czują
Widzieć - Widzieć
Present
- ja widzę
- ty widzisz
- on/ona/ono widzi
- my widzimy
- wy widzicie
- oni/one widzą
Być - Być
Present
- ja jestem
- ty jesteś
- on/ona/ono jest
- my jesteśmy
- wy jesteście
- oni/one są
Dotykać - Dotykać
Present
- ja dotykam
- ty dotykasz
- on/ona/ono dotyka
- my dotykamy
- wy dotykacie
- oni/one dotykają
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Introduction to Senses and Perceiving in Polish (A1 Level)
This lesson focuses on exploring basic vocabulary and simple sentences related to the five senses (smell, taste, sight, touch, and hearing) in Polish. It is designed for beginners (A1 level) and introduces useful words and expressions that help describe sensations and perceptions in everyday contexts.
What You Will Learn
- Senses Vocabulary: Key words like smak (taste), wzrok (sight), dotyk (touch), słuch (hearing), and węch (smell).
- Descriptive Adjectives: How to describe sensory experiences with words such as smaczny (tasty), głośny (loud), and zimny (cold).
- Basic Sentences: Constructing simple phrases and short dialogues to talk about tastes, sounds, smells, and tactile feelings — for example, "Ten kwiat pachnie bardzo ładnie." (This flower smells very nice.) or "Czuję chłód, kiedy dotykam lodu." (I feel cold when I touch ice.)
- Verb Usage: Present tense conjugation of common verbs related to senses like smakować (to taste), pachnieć (to smell), słyszeć (to hear), czuć (to feel), and widzieć (to see), shown through multiple-choice exercises and example sentences.
- Practical Dialogues: Interactive examples in settings such as a café describing coffee taste and aroma, a train journey highlighting sounds and touch sensations, and shopping for vegetables, comparing taste and appearance.
Important Language Highlights
Word Categories: Senses vs. Sensations
The lesson distinguishes between zmysły (senses) and odczucia (sensations/feelings). For example:
- smak (taste) belongs to senses, while smaczny (tasty) is a sensation.
- węch (smell) as a sense vs. przyjemny zapach (pleasant smell) as a sensation.
Useful Phrases to Describe Sensory Experiences
- "Ten ser pachnie bardzo świeżo i apetycznie." – This cheese smells very fresh and appetizing.
- "Kawa jest gorzka, ale lubię ten smak." – Coffee is bitter, but I like that taste.
- "Czuję chłód, kiedy dotykam lodu." – I feel cold when I touch ice.
- "Ptaki śpiewają, a powietrze pachnie lasem." – Birds are singing and the air smells like the forest.
Note on Differences Between English and Polish
Unlike English, Polish uses verbs directly linked to senses, and their conjugation changes with the subject easily. For example, the verb czuć means "to feel," and it is commonly used both for physical feelings and sensory impressions. Polish also uses specific verbs for sensory verbs, such as:
- smakować – to taste (something)
- pachnieć – to smell (something has a scent)
- słyszeć – to hear
- widzieć – to see
Simple present tense is used often in Polish to describe ongoing sensations, a structure less common in English where often the present continuous or adjectives are preferred.
Examples of Useful Verbs and Their English Equivalents
- smakować – to taste
- pachnieć – to smell
- czuć – to feel
- widzieć – to see
- słyszeć – to hear
Learning to use these verbs with correct conjugation helps you accurately describe sensory experiences in Polish conversations and descriptions.
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