Day 41 of 57

Day 41: The Żurek Covenant

In a small bistro on Ząbkowska Street in Warsaw's Praga district, Justyna (A), a customer waiting for her żurek, asks the waiter, Oskar (B), who runs the place with his sister, about a leaflet on her table.

How to study this lesson 3 steps
  1. Read the situation under the title. It says who is talking and how they know each other, which decides how politely they speak.
  2. 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.
  3. 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

  1. A

    Przepraszam, co to za ulotka? „Obligacje żurkowe: wpłać sto złotych dziś, a za rok zjesz za sto trzydzieści”.

    Excuse me, what's this leaflet? 'Żurek bonds: pay in a hundred złoty today, and in a year you'll eat for a hundred and thirty.'

  2. B

    Nasza emisja ratunkowa, bo kamienicznik podniósł czynsz o połowę. Nie wypada nagabywać gości, ale może się pani skusi?

    Our emergency bond issue, because the landlord's put the rent up by half. It's not really done to pester guests, but perhaps you'd be tempted?

  3. A

    Formalnie to bony sprzedawane z dyskontem, a nie obligacje. Ale trzydzieści procent rocznie? Nawet obligacje skarbowe tyle nie płacą.

    Technically they're vouchers sold at a discount, not bonds. But thirty per cent a year? Not even treasury bonds pay that.

  4. B

    Bo Skarb Państwa nie nastawia co rano zakwasu na żurek. My nastawiamy, we dwoje z siostrą, od szóstej.

    Because the State Treasury doesn't start a żurek sourdough every morning. We do, my sister and I, from six o'clock.

  5. A

    Wzruszające. Tylko że jeśli państwo za pół roku zbankrutują, zostanę z plikiem bonów do lokalu, którego już nie będzie.

    Touching. But if you go bust in six months, I'll be left with a stack of vouchers for a place that no longer exists.

  6. B

    Dlatego dajemy zabezpieczenie: zastaw rejestrowy na ekspresie do kawy. Włoski, rocznik osiemdziesiąt dziewięć, starszy ode mnie.

    That's why we're offering collateral: a registered pledge on the espresso machine. Italian, vintage '89, older than me.

  7. A

    Ekspres wyceniłabym na tysiąc złotych, a przy państwa przepływach to za mało. Wiem, bo to ja odrzuciłam państwa wniosek kredytowy.

    I'd value the espresso machine at a thousand złoty, and with your cash flow that's not enough. I know, because I'm the one who turned down your loan application.

  8. B

    To pani nam odmówiła? Należałoby panią teraz wyprosić, tylko że pani żurek już się grzeje.

    You're the one who turned us down? By rights I ought to show you the door now, only your żurek's already heating up.

  9. A

    Odmówiłam jako analityczka, ale jako klientka wierzę w państwa żurek. Biorę bony za tysiąc złotych.

    I turned you down as an analyst, but as a customer I believe in your żurek. I'll take a thousand złoty's worth of vouchers.

  10. B

    Za tysiąc? Siostra się popłacze, a oboje będziemy pani dozgonnie wdzięczni. Jakieś warunki?

    A thousand? My sister will burst into tears, and we'll both be eternally grateful to you. Any conditions?

  11. A

    Jeden kowenant: żurek zostaje w karcie aż do dnia wykupu. W banku nazywamy to utrzymaniem płynności.

    One covenant: the żurek stays on the menu right up to the redemption date. At the bank we call that maintaining liquidity.

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