Getting a job in Britain Part eight: Messages home

Whether it is for personal or professional reasons, you will probably have to communicate with Poland at some stage while you are working in Britain. Because of this, you might find the following information useful.

Sending letters
Wysyłanie listów
One of the advantages of the British postal system is that you can buy stamps all over the place. Newsagents, garages and vending machines sell them so you don’t have to find a post office to get them, although you will need to go there for other postal matters.
Is there a post office near here?
– Czy jest tutaj gdzieś poczta?
How much is a stamp for Poland?
– Ile kosztuje znaczek do Polski?
Could I have a book of ten international stamps, please.
– Czy mogę prosić dziesięć międzynarodowych znaczków?
Do you sell envelopes as well?
– Czy sprzedajecie Państwo także koperty?
What is the weight limit for international letters?
– Jaki jest limit wagowy dla listów międzynarodowych?

Phoning home
Telefonowanie do domu.
The public phone system in Britain is not very good. If only it were the same quality as the post! Telephone kiosks are often vandalised or just don’t work properly. To make matters worse, a few years ago the old phone card with a chip (like the Polish one) disappeared. Instead phone cards have a code which you have to scratch off and enter through the keypad before you dial your number. The biggest problem of these is that there are some phone numbers you cannot dial with these cards. What sort of numbers? Well, information services for a start the sort of thing you would need to access on your first day in a new town before you even have a place to stay. Still, you could use a coin phone. Just find one that works, and a large number of coins from…somewhere.
Alternatively, ask politely at work and they might let you use theirs.
Could I use your phone?
– Mógłbym skorzystać z Państwa telefonu?
What do I have to dial for outside calls?
– Co należy wybrać aby nawiązać połączenie na zewnątrz?
Do you get an itemised bill?
– Czy otrzymują Państwo szczegółowy rachunek telefoniczny?
An itemised bill contains the numbers of every call made, and how much each call costs. Businesses that have their bills itemised are more likely to let their employees use the phone for personal use, as they know how much to ask you to pay for it.
Do any of the payphones take credit cards?
– Czy jakieś aparaty przyjmują karty kredytowe?
Could I have a phone card please?
– Czy mogę prosić o kartę telefoniczną?

Speaking
to the operator
Rozmowa z operatorem.
Dial 100 and you will get through to the operator. He or she is there for help when there are problems making a call. You also call the operator to report problems with public telephones.
I’m having difficulty getting through to a number in Poland.
– Nie mogę się połączyć z numerem w Polsce.
There’s something wrong with this public phone.
– Coś jest zepsute w tej budce telefonicznej.
The coins just fall out when I put them in.
– Monety wylatują kiedy je wkładam.
I can hear the other person but they can’t hear me.
– Słyszę drugą osobę ale ona mnie nie słyszy.
The reject-coin slot is blocked.
– Mechanizm zwrotu monet jest zablokowany.
Here’s a tip: Before you use a coin-operated phone, put your finger into the reject-coin slot and feel around for a moment. If someone has put something inside to block it, use another phone. People block them so that they can come back later and unblock it to collect the money that is stuck inside it. Don’t forget to report it to the operator first though.

Receiving calls
Odbieranie rozmów telefonicznych.
If you are allowed to use a phone at work for people to contact you on, these are phrases you might need to use. More often, you might hear other people use them when they are speaking to you, especially if you have to answer the phone at work.
Have there been any messages for me?
– Czy są dla mnie jakieś wiadomości?
I’m expecting a call from someone back home.
– Oczekuję na telefon od kogoś z domu.
If they call, tell them I’ll be back in a couple of hours.
– Jeśli ktoś zadzwoni proszę powiedzieć, że wrócę za kilka godzin.
Could you give them this message if they ring?
– Czy mogliby Państwo przekazać im tę wiadomość jeśli zadzwonią?
A few others:
There are other methods of communicating with people back home, but one that the UK does not have is the telegram. There are plenty of places in London where you can get online, and you should be able to find them in most large towns and cities as well.
May I send a fax from here?
– Czy mogę stąd wysłać faks?
I’m looking for an internet café.
– Szukam kafejki internetowej?
Are there any internet phones at this station?
– Czy są tu jakieś telefony internetowe?