Polish Level 4

Polish Level 4 

Course Description

Level 4 Classes: this course is suitable for people who have recently completed Level 3 or have acquired a level of language proficiency that enables them to communicate simply about themselves, describe their job, family, daily routine and leisure activities (see the Level 3 key communicative and grammatical points for more detail). It covers vocabulary and grammar related to discussing future plans, talking about past events, describing people and objects, and finding one’s way around the city. By the end of the course, you will be able to use a wide range of vocabulary and communicate at a pre-intermediate level, both orally and in writing. You will also enrich your knowledge of Polish culture and further improve your pronunciation skills. This class covers themes at the intersection of the second half of the A1 level and the first half of the A2 level of the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages).* 

Term duration: 10 weekly classes, Monday evenings, 18:15 - 20:15

Communicative themes may include:  

• locating places in the city - Apteka jest naprzeciwko banku

• talking about food product categories - Kupuję warzywa, owoce i nabiał

• describing tastes - Cytryna jest kwaśna, grejpfrut jest gorzki

• justifying one’s choices - Dlaczego podoba ci się ten obraz? Po co idziesz do sklepu?

• talking about future plans - Za 10 lat będę mieć duży dom i dwa psy

• talking about clothing preferences - Ona jest sekretarką. Do pracy zwykle nosi żakiet, spódnicę i buty na obcasie

Pronunciation and cultural knowledge:

• accent in past tense verbs - Pojechaliśmy, byliśmy, zrobiliśmy 

• Polish landmarks typical of major cities – e.g., Pałac Kultury, Zamek na Wawelu 

• famous Polish people – e.g., Fryderyk Chopin, Wisława Szymborska, Robert Lewandowski 

Key grammatical points covered include:  

• Adjectives describing physical appearance - e.g. wysoki, niski, blondynka

• verbs wiedzieć and znać, and personal pronouns in the accusative case - Znam ją tylko z widzenia

• verbs in the past tense - Wczoraj rozmawialiśmy z babcią

• adjective formation - sos czosnkowy, jogurt malinowy 

• interrogative pronouns and adjectives: który, która, które - Który film lubisz? Która książka jest twoja? Które miasto odwiedzasz? 

• modal verbs - móc, chcieć, musieć 

• future tense - Jutro też będę czytać książkę

Please note that we adapt the pace of the class to the needs and interests of the group, so the listed themes and grammar may be subject to change and are not meant to be exhaustive. 

Homework may be set between classes, though we do understand that the constraints of everyday life may make it difficult to complete at times. You are under no obligation to complete the homework, but revision of the weekly lessons is strongly encouraged to allow you to make excellent progress and benefit fully from the course. 

Each week you will practice most if not all four communicative skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing). You will be encouraged to take an active part in all activities which can include games, pair and group work as well as individual tasks. We aim to establish a friendly, inclusive atmosphere in the classroom so that all students can express themselves freely and increase their confidence. 

*CEFR levels indicated on our level descriptors are not a guarantee that you can take the State Certificate Examination in Polish as a Foreign Language (Państwowy Egzamin Certyfikatowy z Języka Polskiego jako Obcego) for this level. There is an accredited exam centre at the Polish Social & Cultural Association in London and the certification level required for citizenship is B1. If you would like to take the certification exam, please speak to your tutor to discuss what they think would be most appropriate.