Hey there! This is TOP episode 302. 5 Polish-English Mistakes You’re Probably Making (And How to Fix Them)
You read English. You understand English. You’ve been learning for years, but when it’s time to speak—your mind just freezes, and the words don’t come out. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. I’ve been exactly where you are. I’m Ola Mierniczak, and this is the Teacher Ola Podcast. I’m here to help you finally speak out loud—the words, the ideas, the English that have been stuck in your head for too long. This isn’t about perfect grammar or fancy vocabulary. This is about your voice. Your words. Your real English.
Hi, and welcome back to the podcast. Today I want to talk about something that comes up a lot, the kind of English mistakes that many Polish speakers make without even realising. They’re small things, but they can make you sound less natural or even confuse the person you’re talking to. So in this episode, I’ll walk you through five really common ones and show you how to say them better with clear examples, like always.
Just before we jump into today’s episode, let me ask you something.
How long have you been learning English? How many podcasts, apps, courses, videos have you gone through? And still… you don’t speak. Or when you do, you freeze.
It’s not that you don’t know enough. You do. But knowledge doesn’t turn into speech by itself. And if you’re waiting for the moment when you suddenly feel “ready”, it won’t come.
That’s why I’m running a one-time event on 17 August called One Speaking Club. It’s for people who are tired of being passive learners. We’ll meet for 2 hours, talk about chocolate, yes, chocolate — using materials I’ll send you before the event. And we’ll talk.
After the event, I’ll open a WhatsApp voice group where you can record short messages and get my feedback. That’s where progress happens, not from being perfect, but from noticing mistakes and moving past them.
If you’ve ever thought: “I understand a lot, but I can’t speak,” this is your invitation to change that.
Go to teacherola.com/one and sign up.
And yes, my full course Say It Out Loud starts again on 18 September, and early access is already open at siol.pl. But don’t wait for the course. Start speaking now.
Alright. Let’s get into the episode: 5 Polish-English Mistakes You’re Probably Making and How to Fix Them.
One. To have right
In Polish, we say “mam rację” (literally: I have right), but English uses the verb “to be”, not “to have”. Why do we make this mistake?
This is a classic example of direct translation from Polish. It feels natural in Polish to “have” right, but in English, being correct is a state, not a possession. Listen to these correct sentences:
You are right, I hadn’t thought of that.
He was wrong about the meeting time.
Two. I have work this morning
Saying “I have work” is grammatically correct, but it sounds incomplete or unnatural in conversation. English speakers usually specify what kind of work, how much, or their state (busy, overwhelmed, etc.).
Again, it mirrors Polish: “Mam pracę, mam robotę” is commonly used, but in English, we express availability or busyness more clearly, especially in spoken English. Use these instead:
I’m really busy this morning, let’s talk later.
I have a lot of work to do before lunch.
Three. I will need an hour
While “I will need an hour” is technically correct, it sounds too formal or robotic for everyday English. It’s rarely used in casual speech.
This is why we make this mistake: this phrase often comes from textbook English or literal thinking, it makes sense grammatically, so we assume it’s natural. But the speakers of English tend to shift the focus to the task, not themselves. Use these instead:
It’ll take me an hour to finish this.
This report will take about an hour.
Four. Say the truth / say a lie
This is why it’s wrong: the verb “say” is not usually used with “truth” or “lie”. English prefers “tell” when you report something (truth, lies, stories, jokes, etc.).
And here’s why we make this mistake: Polish uses “powiedzieć prawdę”, and “powiedzieć” often translates as “say.” But in English, “tell” goes with the object (you tell something to someone). Listen to these:
She always tells the truth, even when it’s hard.
He told me a lie about where he was.
Bonus tip: “Speak the truth” is also correct, but more formal or poetic. “Speak the truth”.
Five. I will cut my hair
Saying “I will cut my hair” means you will take scissors and do it yourself. Not a common thing unless you’re a hairdresser! Polish often skips the idea of causative constructions like have something done (“obciąć włosy” doesn’t clearly show who’s doing the cutting, in Polish it doesn’t matter). Another example: I’ll make a dress for the wedding. This sounds like you’ll sew it yourself, unless you’re a fashion designer! Use these instead:
I’m going to have my hair cut tomorrow morning.
I’ll have a dress made for the wedding.
Nice!! Now, let’s recap today’s sentences by repeating them out loud. Listen and repeat, let’s go!
You are right, I hadn’t thought of that.
He was wrong about the meeting time.
I’m really busy this morning, let’s talk later.
I have a lot of work to do before lunch.
It’ll take me an hour to finish this.
This report will take about an hour.
She always tells the truth, even when it’s hard.
He told me a lie about where he was.
I’m going to have my hair cut tomorrow morning.
I’ll have a dress made for the wedding.
Alright, before we wrap up, just a quick but important reminder.
Today, we talked about mistakes, common ones. Mistakes that almost every Polish learner makes. And the truth is, you can’t fix mistakes you don’t make out loud.
That’s why there are two powerful opportunities coming up, and I really want you to take advantage of both.
First, on 17 August, we’re meeting for One Speaking Club. It’s a one-time event where you’ll finally get to speak, speak in a real, friendly, no-pressure space. We’ll talk about chocolate, you’ll get the materials in advance, and after the session, I’ll be there on WhatsApp for 3 days to give you voice feedback.
Go to teacherola.com/one and apply now. It might be the smallest step you take , but it could lead to the biggest shift.
Second, the next round of my complete speaking course, Say It Out Loud, starts 18 September. If you join now at siol.pl, you’ll get instant access to the materials, and the early-bird price. This is where we go deeper. This is where your daily practice starts. But don’t wait until September to open your mouth — start with the August event. Teacherola.com/one. It’s happening on the 17th August 2025.
And don’t forget your free worksheet for this episode, download it at teacherola.com/302.
That’s it for today. I believe in you. I know — and you know — that you can speak English.
Stay fearless, take care, and say it out loud.I’m your Teacher Ola, and this was the Teacher Ola Podcast.
Bye for now!