When you’re seeking life advice, where better to turn than to the words of those you respect and admire?
In today’s world, quoting famous people is more popular than ever. From the musings of our favorite celebrities and authors to the life advice from some of the world’s greatest thinkers and visionaries, there’s no shortage of wise words to reflect upon and apply to our lives.
In this article, you’ll learn some of the most popular Polish quotes. We’ve included quotes that are native to Polish, as well as several quotes from other languages that have been translated into Polish.
In learning these quotes in the Polish language, you’ll gain more cultural insight into how Poles view the world, pick up on certain elements of the language, and ultimately gain access to more wisdom than would normally be available to you.
Ready to learn Polish quotes for every occasion? Let’s go!
Table of Contents
- Uplifting Quotes
- Quotes About Love
- Quotes About Family
- Quotes About Success
- Quotes About Language Learning
- The Best Polish Quotes
- Final Thoughts
1. Uplifting Quotes
We all need a pep talk sometimes, and that’s where uplifting quotes come into play. Below, you’ll find a number of Polish quotes about life and other quotes that translate well into Polish.
- → Here’s a link to even more inspirational quotes in Polish just in case these aren’t enough.
Co nas nie zabije, to nas wzmocni.
In English: “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.”
This is a phrase you’ve certainly heard many times before. But you may not know that the author of this saying is Friedrich Nietzsche, the famous German philosopher. This quote is so popular that the Polish version has made its way into everyday life in Poland.
Proście, a będzie wam dane, szukajcie, a znajdziecie.
In English: “Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find.”
The Polish language also makes use of many quotes from the Bible, with this one being quite common. In Polish, we often use only the second half of the saying: Szukajcie, a znajdziecie.
Ważne, że żyjesz w zgodzie ze sobą, nikogo nie udajesz i przed niczym nie uciekasz. Kiedy jesteś świadomie sobą i kochasz ten stan – jesteś szczęśliwy.
In English: “It’s important to live according to what you feel is right, without pretending you’re somebody else and running away from something. When you live like this and you enjoy it, that’s when you’re happy.”
Many popular Polish quotes about life are from famous Polish people and celebrities. This quote is from the well-known Polish traveler, Beata Pawlikowska.
Przyszłość zaczyna się dzisiaj, nie jutro.
In English: “The future starts today, not tomorrow.”
Many Poles are Catholic and they hold the late Polish pope, John Paul II, in high esteem. As such, many of his quotes and sayings are commonly used in the country.
Bądź zmianą, którą chcesz ujrzeć w świecie.
In English: “Be the change you want to see in the world.”
Of course, Polish people also know and use famous quotes from globally recognized moral authorities, such as Gandhi.
2. Quotes About Love
Polish love quotes can be both beautiful and practical. Who hasn’t been madly in love with someone, suffered from a breakup, or had a disagreement with a loved one? It’s amazing what the right words at the right time can do to heal your heart or bring you back down to earth!
We hope that the following quotes in Polish about love give you hope and bring a smile back to your face.
- → Are you recovering from a breakup? Find some consolation on our list of Polish breakup quotes. Also remember to get your romance and love vocabulary up to scratch!
- → If you want more romantic quotes in Polish, see our list of Polish love quotes!
Kto nie ma szczęścia w kartach, ten ma szczęście w miłości.
In English: “Who is not lucky at cards is lucky in love.” / “Lucky at cards, unlucky in love.”
This is one of the most popular sayings about love in Polish.
Pierwsze westchnienie miłości to ostatnie westchnienie rozumu!
In English: “The first breath of love is the last breath of reason.”
Here’s another light quote on love. It’s from the famous Polish children’s book author, Kornel Makuszyński.
Lepiej być samemu, niż z niewłaściwą osobą.
In English: “It’s better to be single than with the wrong person.”
This quote is often used in response to someone complaining about their single status!
3. Quotes About Family
Family is a cornerstone of any society, so it should come as no surprise that there are plenty of family quotes in Polish! Here, we’ll outline just a few of them for you.
- → If you would like to learn more quotes like these, check out our list of Polish family quotes.
Rodzina to nie krew. To ludzie, którzy cię kochają. Ludzie, którzy cię wspierają.
In English: “Family isn’t blood. It’s the people who love you. The people who have your back.”
Just because someone is related to you by blood doesn’t mean they’ll always be there for you. Rather, family consists of those people you can always count on and who truly care for you.
Wszystkie szczęśliwe rodziny są do siebie podobne. Każda nieszczęśliwa rodzina jest nieszczęśliwa na swój sposób.
In English: “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”
This quote from Leo Tolstoy means that a happy family is one in which every aspect of the relationship is fulfilled. On the other hand, a family could be unhappy for any number of reasons.
4. Quotes About Success
Quotes about success can be helpful in finding motivation and pushing your life in a good direction. Famous people understandably know a lot about how to get where you want to be. Here are some motivational quotes in Polish to give you a nudge in the right direction.
- → If you’re keen to get more Polish quotes about success, PolishPod101 has you covered!
→ Speaking of success, we have another lesson you may be interested in if you’ve ever wondered what successful Polish learners do differently.
Chodzi o to, żeby strzelić jedną bramkę więcej od przeciwnika.
In English: “What it’s all about is scoring one more goal than your opponent.”
Well-known Polish poet Roman Gorzelski thought that succeeding shouldn’t become an obsession; rather, one should take a more practical approach to getting ahead.
Sukces: coś, czego przyjaciele nigdy ci nie wybaczą.
In English: “Success is something that your friends will never forgive you for.”
Another famous Polish poet, Julian Tuwin, warns us to be careful when wishing for success.
Kogo szczęście wyniesie, niech się upaść boi.
In English: “Who’s elevated by luck, should be scared of falling down.”
Polish writer and poet Mikołaj Rej gives us yet another warning about striving for success. Never get too comfortable with your status, because you could lose it in a moment if you’re not diligent!
Zwyciężają ci, co najwięcej mają odwagi dla siebie i od siebie żądać.
In English: “Winners are those who have the courage to have expectations towards themselves.”
Now that we have the warnings out of the way, let’s look at a couple of inspirational Polish quotes, starting with these words from the Polish philosopher and writer Stanisław Leopold Brzozowski.
Człowiek sukcesu to taki, który jest w stanie stworzyć solidne fundamenty z cegieł, które inni rzucili w niego.
In English: “A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him.”
Let’s end this section with an uplifting quote by David Brinkley. This one happens to translate quite well into Polish.
5. Quotes About Language Learning
There are many quotes about learning languages that can encourage you to continue your language studies. In this section, we’ll look at some beautiful quotes in Polish that focus on the impact of language learning on one’s life.
- → If you want to read more quotes like these, head over to our vocabulary list of language learning quotes in Polish.
Nowy język, nowe życie.
In English: “A new language is a new life.”
This motivational quote is derived from a Persian proverb. When you learn another language, it opens up so many new doors and lets you see things from a new perspective.
Nie zrozumiesz jednego języka, dopóki nie zrozumiesz co najmniej dwóch.
In English: “You can never understand one language until you understand at least two.”
This quote means that understanding a second language allows you to better understand your own language. Learning your native tongue is something you’re forced to do, and once you’ve learned it, you never really have to think much about it. But when you study a second language, it makes you think hard about the different elements of language itself.
Granice mojego języka oznaczają granice mojego świata.
In English: “The limits of my language are the limits of my world.”
We can experience the world in a completely different way when we know another language. Just imagine visiting Warsaw or Krakow and being able to speak with the locals in their native language. It’d completely change your travel experience and the way people react to you.
Jeśli rozmawiasz z człowiekiem w języku, który rozumie, trafia to do jego głowy. Jeśli rozmawiasz z nim w jego ojczystym języku, trafia to do jego serca.
In English: “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.”
Here, Nelson Mandela is saying that while it’s possible to communicate effectively in a common language, speaking with someone in their own language will leave a great impression on them.
Dobrym lekarstwem na ignorancję…jest znajomość języków.
In English: “The great remedy for ignorance…is a knowledge of languages.”
If someone ever questions your motivation or reasons for learning Polish, you can always reply with this quote from Saint Augustine. Learning a language can give you a broader perspective of the world, thus eliminating your ignorance of other cultures or topics.
6. The Best Polish Quotes
Now you know what benefits to expect from learning another language. But what can learning Polish offer you that other languages can’t? Full access to Polish culture!
Here are some of the greatest Polish quotes to give you just a sample of what I’m talking about.
Lepiej zaliczać się do niektórych, niż do wszystkich.
In English: “It’s better to be among some than everyone.”
This quote comes from the first part of the famous fantasy saga about Geralt of Rivia called The Witcher (Wiedźmin). Created by Andrzej Sapkowski in the nineties, the saga was turned into a series of extremely popular computer games and a Netflix series.
Miej serce i patrzaj w serce.
In English: “Have a heart and consult your heart.”
This is a quote from one of the most famous (and probably most disliked by Polish school children) writer Adam Mickiewicz, who was prominent in the Romantic Era.
Mickiewicz wasn’t around long enough to qualify for a Nobel Prize in literature, but there have been a number of Polish authors who’ve obtained it. In fact, the next quote comes from the recent Nobel Prize winner, Olga Tokarczuk.
Najlepiej rozmawia się samemu ze sobą. Przynajmniej nie dochodzi do nieporozumień.
In English: “It’s best to talk to oneself, that way you can avoid misunderstandings.”
Żadna legenda nie bierze się z próżni.
In English: “No legend emerges from a vacuum.”
Here’s a quote from Jakub Żulczyk, a member of the new generation of Polish writers.
- → Remember to brush up on your vocabulary before heading to a Polish bookstore. Start with easy Polish books and continue with more challenging reads as your language skills progress.
Jak kochać to księcia, jak kraść to miliony.
In English: “If you fall in love, fall in love with a prince. If you steal, steal millions.”
Here’s a universal quote from the Polish romantic comedy Nigdy w życiu (“Never Ever”).
Learning Polish opens up the world of Polish cinema to you. Polish movies are full of quotes like this one, which are commonly used in the Polish language and often referenced in conversations. To understand many of them, you need to watch certain movies, and to watch these movies…you need to speak Polish.
7. Final Thoughts
Today, you’ve learned some inspirational Polish quotes that can help you find some motivation or a solution to your problems. Which quote is your favorite? Let us know in the comments.
Becoming fluent in Polish would, of course, give you access to much more than just these famous Polish quotes and quotes translated into Polish.
Start your free trial with PolishPod101 today to begin your journey toward Polish fluency. With us, you’ll get access to countless recordings by native speakers, hundreds of lessons, and numerous vocabulary lists.
Happy learning, and stay safe out there!
