Day 39: The Changing of the Guard
On a video call the evening before their mother's hip operation in Konin, Dominika (A), who lives a few streets away from her, argues with her brother Adam (B) in Warsaw and their younger sister Agata (C) in Dublin about who will look after her afterwards.
How to study this lesson 3 steps
- Read the situation under the title. It says who is talking and how they know each other, which decides how politely they speak.
- Read the dialogue line by line with its translation, until every line makes sense. Point at (or tap) a Polish word to see what it means.
- Spend at least 30 minutes listening to native Polish, for example from the Resources page. It doesn't matter if you don't understand it yet.
Dialogue
Audio recordings are on the way. For now, each lesson is the dialogue with its English translation.
Keys: E hide English · ← → previous / next day · point at a word to see its meaning
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A
Powiem to raz: od trzech lat to ja wożę mamę po lekarzach, więc po operacji zmiana warty.
I'll say this once: for three years I've been the one driving Mum round her doctors, so after the operation it's time for the changing of the guard.
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B
Zaczyna się licytacja, kto więcej poświęcił. A kto co miesiąc przelewa mamie na rehabilitację?
Here we go, the bidding war over who's sacrificed more. And who sends Mum money for her physio every month?
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A
Przelawszy kasę, masz spokój sumienia do pierwszego. Tylko że przelew nie pomoże mamie wstać z łóżka.
Once you've sent the cash, your conscience is clear until the first of the month. Only a bank transfer won't help Mum get out of bed.
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C
Kochani, nie róbmy z igły wideł. Zatrudnijmy opiekunkę, w Irlandii wszyscy tak robią.
Come on, you two, let's not make a mountain out of a molehill. Let's hire a carer, everyone does it in Ireland.
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A
Łatwo ci radzić z Dublina. Na Wigilię wpadłaś na jeden wieczór i, zjadłszy uszka, odleciałaś przed zmywaniem.
Easy for you to give advice from Dublin. You dropped in for one evening on Christmas Eve and, having eaten your uszka, flew off before the washing-up.
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C
Byłam cztery dni, nie przesadzaj. I przestań zgrywać męczennicę, sama wszystko bierzesz na siebie.
I was there four days, don't exaggerate. And stop playing the martyr, you're the one who takes everything on yourself.
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B
Stop, zanim zaczniecie sobie wypominać komunię Agaty. Biorę urlop na pierwszy tydzień, Agata przylatuje na drugi.
Stop, before you start dragging up Agata's First Communion. I'll take leave for the first week, and Agata flies in for the second.
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A
Czekajcie, mama pisze na czacie: „Słyszę was od kwadransa, tylko nie umiem się odciszyć. Po szpitalu jadę na turnus do Ciechocinka, z panem Staszkiem”.
Wait, Mum's typing in the chat: 'I've been listening to you for a quarter of an hour, I just can't work out how to unmute. After the hospital I'm off to Ciechocinek for a rehab stay, with Mr Staszek.'
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B
Z panem Staszkiem, tym wdowcem od niedzielnych pączków? Czyli my tu układamy grafik dyżurów, a mama ma już opiekuna.
With Mr Staszek, the widower who brings doughnuts on Sundays? So we're here drawing up a rota, and Mum's already got someone to look after her.
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C
No to pięknie. Teraz możemy się pokłócić o to, kto pierwszy zapyta pana Staszka o jego zamiary.
Well, that's lovely. Now we can argue about which of us gets to ask Mr Staszek about his intentions first.
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