Vocabulary list of functional concepts for language learning

  • "How do you say XYZ in Polish (target language)" when you do this, DO NOT use the word in English or your common language. Point at the thing you mean, or find a way around it. You are the main responsible to keep this flame alive, don't drop it even for a second. Example: “this thing in computer, you add words” – “ah, you mean keyboard!”
  • Sorry, I don't speak XYZ language very well (this sometimes is a good thing before you start to talk to a stranger – it sort of lets them know what the interaction is going to be like and they start appreciating you making an effort)
  • Hi
  • Bye
  • Yes
  • No
  • I don't know
  • I
  • You
  • He
  • She
  • They
  • Us (We)
  • Want
  • Have
  • Need
  • Like
  • Do
  • Eat 
  • Drink
  • Run
  • Walk
  • Swim
  • This
  • That
  • Inside
  • Outside
  • Left
  • Right
  • Up
  • Down
  • First
  • Last
  • Next
  • Previous
  • Big
  • Small
  • A lot of (could use big)
  • A little of (could use small)
  • More
  • Less
  • Near 
  • Far
  • Next to
  • In front of
  • Below / under
  • Above / over
  • What
  • Where
  • When
  • Who
  • Why
  • How
  • Please
  • Thanks
  • Different everyday things you may interact with: drinks, cutlery, basic money things (like the currency and the names of the subdivisions if any (think dollars and cents, pounds and pence, etc.), basic work stuff, things around the house, means of transportation, etc.
  • Numbers – even if you don’t know them inside out, it’s usually very helpful to know how to count to 20, how to say hundred, how to say thousand (these latter two are because you will mostly use them for money). So that means you can usually break the number down into its parts. You may not know how to say 47, but you need to learn “10, 4 times, and 7”. Or for a multiple digit number, you can easily say the basic parts, instead of 579, you can just say “five, seven, nine”.
  • Word for “year”, word for “month”, word for “day”. Not the names of the months, etc., just the words. Because you will want to say “this month”, “next year”, “day before”.
  • Days of the week are cool, but not completely necessary. Learn how to say yesterday and tomorrow. Kids don’t know the names of the days, yet they still make it work with simply “tomorrow” and “yesterday”.