Day 96: Entitled to the Last Word
On the steps of the district court in Tarnobrzeg, during a break in her hearing, Pelagia (A), a retired registrar who refused to accept a fine for crossing on a red light, talks things over with her daughter Florentyna (B) and her grandson Gniewko (C), seventeen, who is waiting to be called as a witness.
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
„Obwiniona”! Słyszałaś, jak ten policjant mnie nazwał? Trzydzieści lat udzielałam ślubów i nikt mnie jeszcze o nic nie obwiniał.
'The accused'! Did you hear what that policeman called me? For thirty years I conducted weddings, and nobody has ever accused me of anything.
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B
Mamo, to tylko termin z kodeksu. Mamy kwadrans przerwy, więc wypadałoby się wreszcie przyznać i przeprosić sąd.
Mum, it's just the legal term. We've got a fifteen-minute break, so it would be proper to own up at last and apologise to the court.
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A
Przyznać się? Była druga w nocy, ani żywej duszy. Gdyby cokolwiek jechało, byłabym poczekała na zielone.
Own up? It was two in the morning, not a living soul about. Had anything been coming, I would have waited for the green light.
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C
Babciu, coś jednak stało. Na światłach, z niebieskimi kogutami i z napisem „Policja” na drzwiach.
Grandma, something was there, though. At the lights, with blue flashers on the roof and 'Police' written on the doors.
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A
Stało, a nie jechało, więc nikomu nie zagrażałam. Zresztą sama wniosłam o twoje przesłuchanie: powiesz, że ulica była pusta.
It was standing, not coming, so I wasn't endangering anyone. Besides, I asked for you to be heard as a witness myself: you'll say the street was empty.
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B
Nie powie. Jako twój wnuk może odmówić zeznań i radzę mu z tego skorzystać, bo przed sądem musiałby mówić prawdę.
He won't. As your grandson he can refuse to testify, and I'd advise him to do just that, because in court he'd have to tell the truth.
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C
Serio mogę? To odmawiam. Sorry, babciu, ale nie będę ściemniał przed sądem dla jednego mandatu.
I really can? Then I refuse. Sorry, Grandma, but I'm not going to fib in court over one fine.
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A
I ty, Brutusie? Dobrze, wobec tego sama wygłoszę mowę: „Wysoki Sądzie, niniejszym oświadczam, iż powyższe skrzyżowanie było puste”.
Et tu, Brute? Very well, then I'll make a speech myself: 'Your Honour, I hereby declare that the aforementioned crossroads was empty.'
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B
Mamo, nie godzi się wyrywać z mową w trakcie rozprawy. Obwiniony i tak zawsze ma ostatnie słowo.
Mum, it isn't proper to burst out with a speech in the middle of a hearing. The accused always gets the last word anyway.
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C
Ostatnie słowo? Babcia ma je u nas od zawsze, a teraz będzie je miała jeszcze z mocy prawa.
The last word? Grandma's always had that in our house, and now she'll have it by law as well.
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A
Otóż to. I już z niego korzystam: po rozprawie idziemy na lody, a stawia świadek, który odmówił zeznań.
Precisely. And I'm using it right now: after the hearing we're going for ice cream, and the witness who refused to testify is paying.
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