Day 6: Damask, Moths and a Deposit
At a costume hire shop in Łódź, Joanna (A), an actress on her way to an audition for a stage version of Sienkiewicz's 'The Deluge', stays in character and speaks old-fashioned Polish to Natalia (B), the young assistant.
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
Waćpanna wybaczy najście, lecz szukam sukni, w której godzi się stanąć przed samym Kmicicem.
Forgive the intrusion, young lady, but I seek a gown in which it is fitting to stand before Kmicic himself.
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B
Przed Kmicicem, powiada pani? Zatem pewnie na przesłuchanie do „Potopu” w Jaraczu, bo od rana przychodzą same Oleńki.
Before Kmicic, you say? Then it must be for the 'Deluge' audition at the Jaracz Theatre, since it's been nothing but Oleńkas all morning.
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A
Nie jestem byle jaką Oleńką, moja panno. Reżyser rzekł, iż kto od progu nie mówi po staroświecku, ten odpada.
I am not just any Oleńka, young lady. The director declared that whoever fails to speak the old way from the moment they cross the threshold is out.
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B
Skoro tak, służę waćpani. Mamy suknię z adamaszku, co grała w trzech filmach, jeno mole ją nieco nadgryzły.
In that case, I am at my lady's service. We have a damask gown that has starred in three films, only the moths have nibbled at it a little.
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A
Mole mnie nie trwożą, wszak i Oleńka niejedno przeszła. Ileż jednak przyjdzie mi zapłacić za dni trzy?
Moths hold no terror for me, for Oleńka herself went through a great deal. But how much, pray, shall I have to pay for three days?
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B
Trzysta złotych za dobę, a ponadto tysiąc kaucji, albowiem zarówno adamaszek, jak i mole swoje kosztują.
Three hundred złoty a day and, moreover, a thousand as a deposit, for damask and moths alike come at a price.
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A
Tysiąc kaucji? Pani chyba żartuje, za tyle uszyję sobie trzy suknie u krawcowej na Piotrkowskiej.
A thousand for the deposit? You must be joking: for that much I could have three dresses made by a seamstress on Piotrkowska Street.
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B
Ależ waćpani z roli wypadła! Wszak kto nie mówi po staroświecku, ten odpada.
Why, my lady has stepped out of her part! After all, whoever does not speak the old way is out.
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A
Niechże będzie, moja panno, biorę. Lecz za suknię po molach należałoby spuścić z ceny choć stówkę.
So be it, young lady, I'll take it. But for a gown the moths have had, one ought to knock at least a hundred off the price.
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B
Zaiste, godzi się. Spuszczę stówkę, o ile waćpani przyniesie mi jutro autograf Kmicica.
Verily, that is only fitting. I'll knock off a hundred, provided my lady brings me Kmicic's autograph tomorrow.
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