Do they speak English in Krakow? Do they speak in Poland?

Situated in the south of Poland, Krakow is steadily becoming an increasingly popular tourist destination for people from all over the world. Before their first trip to Krakow in Poland, many people wonder if they speak English in Krakow. Can I get along in English in Krakow? What is the level of English proficiency in Krakow?

Do they speak English in Krakow?

In Poland in Europe, Polish is the official language, but English proficiency among Poles is getting better every year.

According to the EF English Proficiency Index, Poles rank 15th out of 116 surveyed countries in the world where English is not the official language and the first language of the population. This means high proficiency.

English in Krakow in practice

In theory, Poles speak English quite well. What is it like in practice in Krakow? Krakow is one of the most popular tourist cities and many tourist services or restaurants in the city centre in practice live off rich western tourists offering high prices.

Staff at places that live from tourism speak English sometimes even very well. There is no problem speaking English in hotels or restaurants or the better shops in the shopping malls in Krakow. Also, for example, the staff at museums or other tourist attractions speak good English.

Since the fall of the communist regime in Poland, the level of English language teaching in schools of all levels in Poland has improved year on year. Krakow is, by Polish standards, a large city and a tourist, educational and business centre. Kraków’s inhabitants speak English, especially the younger ones.

Where can I not get along in English in Krakow? Older people in Poland are people who rarely learned English in their youth. During the communist period in Poland, Russian was the language taught in schools. Older Poles are less likely to speak English.

So if you want to ask for directions or advice from someone you pass in a shop or on the street, it is better to speak to younger people.

You won’t get along in English in markets, smaller shops and such places in Krakow and in Poland. In general, however, without speaking Polish, it is easy to communicate in Krakow and other main cities in Poland like Warszawa, Gdansk or Wroclaw. It will be much more difficult in small towns like Przemysl or Tarnow.

English menus can be found in Krakow’s public transport ticket machines, parking ticket machines, self-service checkouts in larger grocery shops and other such places.

Summary: Do they speak English in Krakow? For places catering to wealthy foreign tourists, there is no problem to speak English in Krakow, Poland.

In the Polish countryside or in places where service is provided by older people who have not learned English, knowing English in Poland will be of little use to us. However, you can always use Google Translate and other similar tools.

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