Polish Style Guide

Polish Style Guide
Contents
What's New? ............................................................................................................................... 4
New Topics .............................................................................................................................. 4
Updated Topics........................................................................................................................ 4
Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 5
About This Style Guide............................................................................................................. 5
Scope of This Document .......................................................................................................... 5
Style Guide Conventions .......................................................................................................... 5
Sample Text............................................................................................................................. 5
Recommended Reference Material .......................................................................................... 7
Normative References .......................................................................................................... 7
Informative References ......................................................................................................... 7
Language Specific Conventions .................................................................................................. 8
Country/Region Standards ....................................................................................................... 8
Characters ............................................................................................................................ 8
Date ................................................................................................................................... 10
Time ................................................................................................................................... 12
Numbers............................................................................................................................. 13
Sorting ................................................................................................................................ 17
Geopolitical Concerns ............................................................................................................ 19
Grammar, Syntax & Orthographic Conventions ...................................................................... 20
Adjectives ........................................................................................................................... 20
Articles ............................................................................................................................... 20
Capitalization ...................................................................................................................... 20
Compounds ........................................................................................................................ 21
Gender ............................................................................................................................... 21
Genitive .............................................................................................................................. 21
Modifiers............................................................................................................................. 22
Nouns ................................................................................................................................. 22
Prepositions........................................................................................................................ 23
Pronouns ............................................................................................................................ 23
Punctuation ........................................................................................................................ 23
Singular & Plural ................................................................................................................. 25
Split Infinitive ...................................................................................................................... 26
Subjunctive ......................................................................................................................... 26
Non-Breaking Spaces ......................................................................................................... 26
Syntax ................................................................................................................................ 26
Verbs .................................................................................................................................. 26
Word Order......................................................................................................................... 27
Style and Tone Considerations............................................................................................... 28
Audience ............................................................................................................................ 28
Style ................................................................................................................................... 28
Tone ................................................................................................................................... 29
Voice .................................................................................................................................. 29
Localization Guidelines.............................................................................................................. 30
General Considerations.......................................................................................................... 30
Abbreviations ...................................................................................................................... 30
Accessibility ........................................................................................................................ 31
Acronyms ........................................................................................................................... 31
Applications, Products, and Features .................................................................................. 31
Frequent Errors .................................................................................................................. 32
Fictitious Information ........................................................................................................... 33
Recurring Patterns .............................................................................................................. 33
Standardized Translations .................................................................................................. 33
Unlocalized Items ............................................................................................................... 37
Using the Word Microsoft .................................................................................................... 38
Software Considerations ........................................................................................................ 38
User Interface ..................................................................................................................... 38
Messages ........................................................................................................................... 40
Keys ................................................................................................................................... 44
Document Translation Considerations .................................................................................... 49
Titles .................................................................................................................................. 49
Copyright ............................................................................................................................ 52
What's New?
Last Updated: June 2011
New Topics
The following topics were added:
Updated Topics
The following topics were updated:

The overall Style Guide content was fully updated in February 2011 as part of a major Style Guide update
project performed for all languages.
4
Introduction
This Style Guide went through major revision in February 2011 in order to remove outdated and unnecessary
content.
About This Style Guide
The purpose of this Style Guide is to provide everybody involved in the localization of Polish Microsoft products
with Microsoft-specific linguistic guidelines and standard conventions that differ from or are more prescriptive than
those found in language reference materials. These conventions have been adopted after considering context
based on various needs, but above all, they are easy to follow and applicable for all types of software to be
localized.
The Style Guide covers the areas of formatting and grammatical conventions. It also presents the reader with a
general idea of the reasoning behind the conventions. The present Style Guide is a revision of our previous Style
Guide version with the intention of making it more standardized, more structured, and easier to use as a
reference.
The guidelines and conventions presented in this Style Guide are intended to help you localize Microsoft products
and materials. We welcome your feedback, questions and concerns regarding the Style Guide. You can send
your feedback via the Microsoft Language Portal feedback page.
Scope of This Document
This Style Guide is intended for the localization professional working on Microsoft products. It is not intended to
be a comprehensive coverage of all localization practices, but to highlight areas where Microsoft has preference
or deviates from standard practices for Polish localization.
Style Guide Conventions
In this document, a plus sign (+) before a translation example means that this is the recommended correct
translation. A minus sign (-) is used for incorrect translation examples.
In Microsoft localization context, the word term is used in a slightly untraditional sense, meaning the same as e.g.
a segment in Trados. The distinguishing feature of a term here is that it is translated as one unit; it may be a
traditional term (as used in terminology), a phrase, a sentence, or a paragraph.
References to interface elements really only refer to translatable texts associated with those interface elements.
Example translations in this document are only intended to illustrate the point in question. They are not a source
of approved terminology. Always check for approved translation in the Microsoft terminology database.
Sample Text
Budowanie społeczeństwa opartego na wiedzy. Zwalczanie bezrobocia i wykluczenia informacyjnego w regionie
Podlasia.
5
Celem projektu jest zapewnienie dostępu do wiedzy i umiejętności informatycznych mieszkańcom Podlasia,
jednego z uboższych regionów UE, po to by wyrównać ich szanse na rynku pracy. Głównymi adresatami projektu
są bezrobotni i zagrożeni bezrobociem mieszkańcy regionu.
W ramach projektu powstało 7 Społecznych Pracowni Edukacyjno-Komputerowych na terenie województwa.
Każda z nich została wyposażona w 10 do 15 komputerów dostarczonych przez Instytut Odpowiedzialnego
Biznesu. Wszystkie komputery mają zainstalowane bogate oprogramowanie firmy Microsoft oraz pakiet
dydaktyczny z zakresu podstawowych umiejętności informatycznych „Digital Literacy‖ w wersji polskojęzycznej.
Pakiet ten może być używany zarówno jako narzędzie dydaktyczne przez trenera prowadzącego zajęcia
grupowe, jak i w wersji e-learningu do samodzielnej nauki.
W pierwszej fazie projektu przeszkoleni zostali opiekunowie Społecznych Pracowni Edukacyjno-Komputerowych,
którzy w dalszej kolejności szkolą uczestników kursów. Dodatkowo przeszkoleni zostaną również opiekunowie
118 Punktów Bezpłatnego Dostępu do Internetu Ikonk@, które dzięki grantowi Unlimited Potential firmy Microsoft
powstały na Podlasiu.
We wszystkich Pracowniach są realizowane szkolenia z zakresu podstawowej obsługi komputera, w których
mogą brać udział bezrobotni oraz zagrożeni bezrobociem mieszkańcy regionu, młodzież, kobiety, osoby
niepełnosprawne oraz wszyscy inni, którzy chcą nauczyć się obsługi komputera, oprogramowania i Internetu.
Wierzymy, że zdobyte w ten sposób podstawowe umiejętności informatyczne, obok innych kwalifikacji, przyczynią
się do umocnienia ich pozycji na rynku pracy.
Projekt szkoleniowy będzie trwał do końca 2011 roku. W tym czasie przeszkolonych zostanie około 1500 osób.
Warto też nadmienić, że Społeczne Pracownie Edukacyjno-Komputerowe nie tylko prowadzą zaplanowane
szkolenia, ale są również dostępne dla mieszkańców poza terminami wyznaczonych kursów. Oznacza to, że
pełnią rolę Społecznych Pracowni, w których można poza godzinami odbywających się tam szkoleń, korzystać ze
sprzętu komputerowego i oprogramowania oraz Internetu, bawić i uczyć się oraz rozwijać swoje umiejętności i
zainteresowania.
Inicjatywa realizowana jest przez organizację pozarządową non-profit — Instytut Odpowiedzialnego Biznesu.
Organizacja ta otrzymała dwa granty Microsoft Unlimited Potential. Pierwszy w wysokości 230 tys. USD (wsparcie
finansowe oraz oprogramowanie) umożliwił powstanie Pracowni i realizację szkoleń. Drugi, w wysokości 122 tys.
USD, przeznaczony był na przygotowanie nowoczesnego multimedialnego pakietu dydaktycznego z zakresu
podstawowej obsługi komputera i Internetu w polskiej wersji językowej. Prace nad przygotowaniem pakietu
nauczania „Digital Literacy‖ zostały ukończone w listopadzie 2006 roku i obecnie jest on wykorzystywany w
procesie nauczania w ramach całego projektu. Dodatkowo program nauczania „Digital Literacy‖ jest bezpłatnie
udostępniany innym organizacjom non-profit o charakterze edukacyjnym.
Fundatorem projektu jest firma Microsoft, jednak jest on realizowany przy wydatnej współpracy z lokalnymi
władzami. Jest również przykładem wzorowej współpracy różnych organizacji II oraz III sektora.
6
Polski Oddział Firmy Microsoft
Microsoft Sp. z o.o.
Al. Jerozolimskie 195a
02-222 Warszawa
tel.: 0-22 594 10 00
Utworzono: 2011-01-28 13:10:13
Recommended Reference Material
Use the Polish language and terminology as described and used in the following publications.
Normative References
These normative sources must be adhered to. Any deviation from them automatically fails a string in most cases.
When more than one solution is allowed in these sources, look for the recommended one in other parts of the
Style Guide.
1. Słownik poprawnej polszczyzny, PWN, the latest edition
2. Słownik języka polskiego, PWN, the latest edition
3. Nowy słownik ortograficzny języka polskiego, PWN, the latest edition
Informative References
These sources are meant to provide supplementary information, background, comparison, etc.
1. Słownik wyrazów bliskoznacznych, PWN, the latest edition
2. Słownik frazeologiczny, PWN, the latest edition
3. Słownik wyrazów obcych, PWN, the latest edition
7
Language Specific Conventions
This part of the style guide contains information about standards specific to Polish.
Country/Region Standards
Characters
Country/region
Polish
Lower-case characters
a, ą, b, c, ć, d, e, ę, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, ł, m, n, ń, o, ó, p, r, s, ś, t, u, w, y, z, ź, ż
Upper-case characters
A, Ą, B, C, Ć, D, E, Ę, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, Ł, M, N, Ń, O, Ó, P, R, S, Ś, T, U, W, Y,
Z, Ź, Ż
Characters in caseless
scripts
n/a
Extended Latin characters
ą, Ą, ć, Ć, ę, Ę, ł, Ł, ń, Ń, ó, Ó, ś, Ś, ź, Ź, ż, Ż
Note on alphabetical order
Alphabetical order is not necessarily indicative of sorting order.
Total number of characters
32
Unicode codes
Letter
Unicode
code
a
A
ą
Ą
b
B
c
C
ć
Ć
d
D
e
E
ę
Ę
f
0061
0041
0105
0104
0062
0042
0063
0043
0107
0106
0064
0044
0065
0045
0119
0118
0066
Decimal
code
97
65
98
66
99
67
100
68
101
69
102
8
Country/region
Polish
F
g
G
h
H
i
I
j
J
k
K
l
L
ł
Ł
m
M
n
N
ń
Ń
o
O
ó
Ó
p
P
q
Q
r
R
s
S
ś
Ś
t
T
u
U
0046
0067
0047
0068
0048
0069
0049
006A
004A
006B
004B
006C
004C
0142
0141
006D
004D
006E
004E
0143
0144
006F
004F
00F3
00D3
0070
0050
0071
0051
0072
0052
0073
0053
015B
015A
0074
0054
0075
0055
70
103
71
104
72
105
73
106
74
107
75
108
76
109
77
110
78
111
79
112
80
113
81
114
82
115
83
116
84
117
85
9
Country/region
Polish
v
V
w
W
x
X
y
Y
z
Z
ź
Ź
ż
Ż
Notes
0076
0056
0077
0057
0078
0058
0079
0059
007A
005A
017A
0179
017C
017B
118
86
119
87
120
88
121
89
122
90
If the alphabet is used for sorting, additionally letters q, v, x are used: a, ą, b, c,
ć, d, e, ę, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, ł, m, n, ń, o, ó, p, q, r, s, ś, t, u, v, w, x, y, z, ź, ż
Date
Country/region
Polish
Calendar/Era
Gregorian
First Day of the Week
Monday
First Week of the Year
First week that includes four days or more of the new year.
Separator
hyphen (-)
Default Short Date
Format
yy-MM-dd
Example
11-03-17
Default Long Date Format d MMMM yyyy
Example
17 marca 2011
Additional Short Date
Format 1
dd MMM yyyy
Example
17 mar 2011
Additional Short Date
Format 2
N/A
10
Country/region
Polish
Example
N/A
Additional Long Date
Format 1
dddd, dd MMMM yyyy
Example
środa, 17 marca 2011
Additional Long Date
Format 2
N/A
Example
N/A
Leading Zero in Day Field
for Short Date Format
yes
Leading Zero in Month
Field for Short Date
Format
yes
No. of digits for year for
Short Day Format
2
Leading Zero in Day Field
for Long Date Format
no
Leading Zero in Month
Field for Long Date
Format
n/a
Number of digits for
century for Long Day
Format
4
Date Format for
Correspondence
dd MMMM yyyy
Example
17 marca 2011
Notes
N/A
name of months written
d is for day, number of d's indicates the format (d = digits without leading zero, dd =
digits with leading zero, ddd = the abbreviated day name, dddd = full day name)
Abbreviations in Format
Codes
M is for month, number of M's gives number of digits. (M = digits without leading
zero, MM = digits with leading zero, MMM = the abbreviated name, MMMM = full
name)
y is for year, number of y's gives number of digits (yy = two digits, yyyy = four digits)
11
Time
Country/region
Poland
24 hour format
yes
Standard time format
HH:mm:ss
Standard time format
example
23:43:12
Time separator
colon (:)
Time separator examples
03:24:12
Hours leading zero
yes
Hours leading zero example
03:24:12
String for AM designator
N/A
String for PM designator
N/A
Notes
The time separator for fractions of seconds is a comma (,)
Days
Country/region: Poland
Day
Normal Form
Abbreviation
Monday
poniedziałek
Pn
Tuesday
wtorek
Wt
Wednesday
środa
Śr
Thursday
czwartek
Cz
Friday
piątek
Pt
Saturday
sobota
So
Sunday
niedziela
N
First Day of Week: Monday
Is first letter capitalized?: No
Notes: There is no period with day names abbreviations.
12
Months
Country/region: Poland
Month
Full Form
Abbreviated Form
Long Date Form
January
styczeń
sty
stycznia
February
luty
lut
lutego
March
marzec
mar
marca
April
kwiecień
kwi
kwietnia
May
maj
maj
maja
June
czerwiec
cze
czerwca
July
lipiec
lip
lipca
August
sierpień
sie
sierpnia
September
wrzesień
wrz
września
October
październik
paź
października
November
listopad
lis
listopada
December
grudzień
gru
grudnia
Is first letter capitalized?: No
Notes: N/A
Numbers
Phone Numbers
Country/
region
International
Dialing
Code
Area Codes
Used?
Number of
Digits – Area
Codes
Separator
Number of
Digits –
Domestic
Digit
Groupings –
Domestic
Poland
48
no (the former
area codes
have been
incorporated
into the
subscriber
numbers)
N/A
space;
hyphen
9 (the number
consists of twodigit former area
code and sevendigit subscriber's
number)
0-## ### ## ##;
0-## ## ## ###
13
Country/
region
Number of
Digits –
Local
Digit
Groupings –
Local
Number of
Digits –
Mobile
Digit
Groupings
– Mobile
Number of
Digits –
International
Digit
Groupings –
International
Poland
9 (the
number
consists of
two-digit
former area
code and
seven-digit
subscriber's
number)
0-## ### ##
##; 0-## ## ##
###
9
### ###
###; ###
## ## ##
11
+48 ## ### ##
##; +48 ## ##
## ###
Notes: There is no standarized digit grouping scheme for Polish telephone numbers, but grouping into two or
three digits groups (usually separated by a hyphen or spaces) is most popular with users. There are no spaces
before or after the hyphen.
There is no longer any distinction between local and long-distance numbers; the former area codes are
incorporated into the subscriber numbers. The use of the trunk code (0) before the area code is required for local
and domestic calls: 22 637 22 35 or 22 63 72 235
The number when making international calls from Poland consists of three groups: two zeros, a group of one, two,
three or four digits that identifies the country and the number in the specific country.
International calls from Poland:
00-1-412-555-4821
International calls to Poland:
Please check with your operator.
The exception to this rule are emergency telephone numbers (three digits numbers), special services numbers
(e.g. taxi corporation and service providers numbers, that are four, five or eight digits numbers), numbers that cost
either more or less than normal to call to (e.g. pagers, cellular phones and green numbers, which are all written in
groups of two or three digits): 0-90 xx xx xx; 0-601 xx xx xx; 0-800 xxx xxx
Addresses
Country/region: Poland
Disclaimer: Please note that the information in this entry should under no circumstances be used in examples as
fictitious information.
Address Format:
[Title/Honorific] FirstName [SecondName] LastName
[CompanyName]
Address1
[Address2]
14
PostalCode City
[Country] if applicable
Example Address: Ewa Lesiak
ul. Tkacka 25 m. 5
40-117 Katowice
Local Postal Code Format: xx-xxx
Notes: Items in brackets are optional or seldom used. Address is always left aligned. First and second lines—
Title etc. line and CompanyName line—can appear in reverse order too, i.e. Company name on the first line and
Title etc. on the second.
Currency
Country/region
Poland
Currency Name
złoty
Currency Symbol
zł
Currency Symbol Position
Numeral followed by a space and zł
Positive Currency Format
123,45 zł
Negative Sign Symbol
-
Negative Currency Format
-123,45 zł
Decimal Symbol
, (comma)
Number of Digits after Decimal
2
Digit Grouping Symbol
space
Number of Digits in Digit
Grouping
3
Positive Currency Example
1 234 567 890,00 zł
Negative Currency Example
-1 234 567 890,00 zł
ISO Currency Code
PLN
Currency Subunit Name
grosz
Currency Subunit Symbol
gr
Currency Subunit Example
12 gr
15
Digit Groups
Country/region: Poland
Decimal Separator: ,
Decimal Separator Description: comma
Decimal Separator Example: 22,1
Thousand Separator: space
Thousand Separator Description: non-breaking space
Thousand Separator Example: 20 000
Notes: Thousand separator is to be used for numbers longer than four digits. A normal thousand separator is not
used in numbers like year numbers, telephone numbers, etc.
Measurement Units
Metric System Commonly Used?: Yes
Temperature: Celsius
Category
English
Translation
Abbreviation
Linear Measure
Kilometer
kilometr
km
Meter
metr
m
Decimeter
decymetr
dm
Centimeter
centymetr
cm
Millimeter
milimetr
mm
Hectoliter
hektolitr
hl
Liter
litr
l
Deciliter
decylitr
dl
Centiliter
centylitr
cl
Milliliter
mililitr
ml
Ton
tona
t
Kilogram
kilogram
kg
Pound
funt
No abbr.
Gram
gram
g
Decigram
decygram
dg
Capacity
Mass
16
Category
English Units of
Measurement
English
Translation
Abbreviation
Centigram
centygram
cg
Milligram
miligram
mg
Inch
cal
No abbr.
Feet
stopa
No abbr.
Mile
mila
No abbr.
Gallon
galon
No abbr.
Notes: If the unit of measure is preceded by a number, there should be a space between the number and the unit
of measure
Percentages
There is no space between the number and the percent symbol.
Sorting
1. Sorting order should be consistent with the order of the letters in the Polish alphabet
supplemented by letters q, v and x.
Sorting rules
Character
sorting order
2. Capital letters and lowercase letters are not equal. Lowercase precedes capital letter.
3. Diacritical marks coming from languages different from Polish do not affect the sorting order
(i.e. Hańek < Hass).
4. Non-alphabetical characters (i.e. symbols like @ ! #) sort before the letters of the alphabet.
5. Digits sort before the non-alphabetical characters and before the letters of the alphabet.
6. Double letters (ll, nn) sorts as two letters.
a; 97, A; 65, b; 98, B; 66, c; 99, C; 67, d; 100, D; 68, e; 101, E; 69, f; 102, F; 70, g; 103, G; 71,
h; 104, H; 72, i; 105, I; 73, j; 106, J; 74, k; 107, K; 75, l; 108, L; 76, m; 109, M; 77, n; 110, N; 78,
o; 111, O; 79, p; 112, P; 80, q; 113, Q; 81, r; 114, R; 82, s; 115, S; 83, t; 116, T; 84, u; 117, U;
85, v; 118, V; 86, w; 119, W; 87, x; 120, X; 88, y; 121, Y; 89, z; 122, Z; 90
1
@
Aaron
Examples of
sorted words
andere
ändere
chaque
chemin
cote
17
coté
côte
côté
čučēt
Czech
hińa
irdisch
lävi
lie
lire
llama
lõug
Löwen
lòza
Lübeck
luč
luck
lye
Männer
màńta
mîr
möchten
myndig
pint
piña
pylon
sämtlich
ńàran
savoir
Ńerbūra
Sietla
ślub
subtle
symbol
väga
18
verkehrt
vox
yuan
waffle
wood
yen
yucca
ņal
ņena
Ņenēva
zoo
Zürich
Zviedrija
zysk
zzlj
zzlz]
zznj
zznz
Geopolitical Concerns
Part of the cultural adaptation of the US-product to a specific market is the resolving of geopolitical issues. While
the US-product should have been designed and developed with neutrality and a global audience in mind, the
localized product should respond to the particular situation that applies within the target country/region.
Sensitive issues or issues that might potentially be offensive to the users in the target country/region may occur in
any of the following:





Maps
Flags
Country/region, city and language names
Art and graphics
Cultural content, such as encyclopedia content and other text where historical or political references may
occur
Some of these issues are relatively easy to verify and resolve: the objective should be for the localizer to always
have the most current information available. Maps and other graphic representations of countries/regions and
regions should be checked for accuracy and existing political restrictions. Country/region, city and language
names change on a regular basis and need to be checked, even if previously approved.
A thorough understanding of the culture of the target market is required for checking the appropriateness of
cultural content, clip art and other visual representations of religious symbols, body and hand gestures.
19
Grammar, Syntax & Orthographic Conventions
This section includes information on how to apply the general rules of the Polish language to Microsoft products
and documentation.
Adjectives
In Polish, adjectives should be handled in the following manner.
In Polish, adjectives usually proceed the noun, however technical terms (also IT terminology) should be written as
noun+adjective: eg. dysk twardy, komputer osobisty, pamięć nieulotna.
Possessive adjectives
The frequent use of possessives is a feature of English language. However in Polish, possessive
adjectives are handled in the following manner: The common use of possessive adjectives in
English should be avoided in Polish.
Source
Correct
Incorrect
Launch your application.
Uruchom program.
Uruchom twój program.
Insert your floppy disk to...
Włóż dyskietkę do...
Włóż Twoją dyskietkę do...
This program cannot be run on your
computer.
Programu nie można uruchomić na
tym komputerze.
Tego programu nie można
uruchomić na Twoim komputerze.
Allows you to specify the
configuration that best matches
your preferences.
Pozwala na określenie konfiguracji,
tak aby optymalnie pasowała do
preferencji użytkownika.
Pozwala na określenie konfiguracji,
tak aby jak najlepiej była ona do
pasowana do Twoich preferencji.
Articles
This section does not apply to Polish.
Capitalization
Do not copy English capitalization. In English, it is a general practice to capitalize all first characters of the words
in titles, names, etc, and sometimes middle characters in words too. Bear in mind that this is an error for the
Polish texts.
In English the days of the week, months, seasons and language names are also capitalized. In Polish they are not
capitalized.
In titles and program, dialog, checkbox, etc. names only the first word is capitalized, unlike in English. Many
translators keep the English use of capital letters that is not correct for Polish. In Polish we capitalize only the first
letter in the sentence. In the following example the term "Width" was capitalized in Polish as well.
20
Examples:
Source
Correct
Incorrect
Fit to Width
Dopasuj do szerokości
Dopasuj do Szerokości
The word Web, which is a synonym of World Wide Web, sometimes is capitalized in the sources in the meaning
of Internet and sometimes it is not capitalized in the meaning of a part of the Internet. In Polish, the term Web/web
is treated in the same way as in the source: if the source term is capitalized, Polish term also begins with a capital
letter.
Titles and Headings
The first words in titles of guidebooks, sections, chapters, headings, paragraphs, captions or tables always start
with capital letters. Whether other words are capitalized or not, depends on their meaning.
Examples:
Correct
Incorrect
Podręcznik użytkownika
Podręcznik Użytkownika
Uruchamianie aplikacji z Menedżera
programów
Uruchamianie Aplikacji Z Menedżera
Programów
Formatowanie dyskietki
Formatowanie Dyskietki
Uruchamianie aplikacji z Menedżera
plików
Uruchamianie Aplikacji Z Menedżera
Plików
Stosowanie czcionek TrueType
Stosowanie Czcionek TrueType
Compounds
This section does not apply to Polish, as there is no special convention related to nouns. Generic information on
compounds can be found in any Polish grammar book.
Gender
This section does not apply to Polish, as there is no special convention related to nouns. Generic information on
gender can be found in any Polish grammar book.
Genitive
This section does not apply to Polish.
21
Modifiers
In Polish localized text you often need to precede the terms, especially if they are left in English, by the respective
modifier.
Example: interfejs Aero, widok Backstage
Nouns
General considerations
This section does not apply to Polish, as there is no special convention related to nouns. Generic information on
nouns can be found in any Polish grammar book.
Inflection
Nonstandard declination patterns
Gen. -u
bufor
m IV
plural nom. -y
Loc. –orze
Gen. -u
folder
m IV
plural nom. -y
Loc. –erze
Gen. -u
toner
m IV
plural nom. -y
Loc. –erze
Gen. -a
skaner
m IV
plural nom. -y
Loc. –erze
Gen. -u
filtr
m IV
plural nom. -y
Loc. –trze
Gen. -u
profil
Loc. –filu
Gen. -a
kreator
plural nom. -e
mI
m IV
plural gen. -ów
plural nom. - orzy
Loc. –orze
Gen. -a
punktor
terminal
klaster
m IV
plural nom. -y
Loc. –orze
Gen. -u
plural nom. -e
Loc. –nalu
Gen. -stra
plural gen. -i
plural nom. -stry
Loc. –strze
plural gen. -strów
m IV
m IV
22
token
Gen. -u
plural nom. -ny
Loc. –nie
plural gen. -nów
m IV
.
Plural Formation
Nouns like: menedżer, projektant, konstruktor, instalator, kreator should be inflected like other personal nouns. As
a result, following forms are obligatory: kreatorzy, projektanci etc.
The exception from this rule is the noun edytor used in the meaning of computer application. This noun should be
inflected as follows: Nom. edytor, Gen. edytora, Acc. edytor, Nom. pl. edytory.
NOTE! If one of the nouns mentioned above refers to an application, for example to a wizard that allows you
creating tables, it should start with a capital letter.
Prepositions
Pay attention to the correct use of the preposition in translations. Influenced by the English language, many
translators omit them or change the word order. Be careful with the preposition ―dla‖ as it is often misused. Do not
translate the English ―for‖ as ―dla‖ automatically.
When talking about actions and objects the preposition ―do‖ should be used.
US Expression
Polish Expression
Comment
A cleaning cartridge for ink-jet
printers.
Kaseta czyszcząca do drukarek
atramentowych.
Do not use "dla drukarek‖. But:
Nowa witryna sieci web dla
deweloperów.
Pronouns
Pronouns are used in Polish less frequently than in English. If using of the pronoun in the localized text is not
necessary due to meaning of the sentence, it is better to skip the pronoun.
Example: Allows you to specify your preferences - pozwala na określenie preferencji
Punctuation
Comma
Polish rules on inserting commas are different from the English ones. For example, in English sentences commas
are inserted before such words as or, and. But in Polish, in case of these conjunctions commas are redundant,
unless they separate parenthesis clauses.
Colon
Use colons to introduce lists and procedures. Use lower case after the colon.
23
Example: W programie można zmienić następujące elementy: motyw, czcionkę, rozmiar czcionki, tło i
obramowanie okna.
Do not use colons to introduce tables, sections or illustrations.
Example: Szegółowe informacją przedstawia Tabela 1.
Dashes and Hyphens
Three different dash characters are used in Polish:
Hyphen
The hyphen is used to divide words between syllables, to link parts of a compound word, and to connect the parts
of an inverted or imperative verb form. A hyphen (łącznik) (no space before and after the hyphen) is used to:
a) join two words;
b) add the ending to the acronym;
c) join a number with a word;
d) replace the ending of multiple compound adjectives that have different first elements.>
Example: Bielsko-Biała, w DOS-ie, 30-procentowy, 16- i 32-bitowe
En Dash
The en dash is used as a minus sign, usually with spaces before and after.
Example: ZAROBKI – WYDATKI = 2 000 000
The en dash is also used in number ranges, such as those specifying page numbers. No spaces are used around
the en dash in this case.
Example: Opis ten podano na ss. 236–238 OR w latach 1989–1991
Em Dash
The em dash should only be used to emphasize an isolated element or introduce an element that is not essential
to the meaning conveyed by the sentence.
Example: Microsoft Excel — Pomoc
Ellipses (Suspension Points)
Ellipsis is a mark that usually indicates an intentional omission of a word in the original text. An ellipsis can also
be used to indicate a pause in speech, an unfinished thought. In Polish, an ellipsis is always composed of three
dots without any spaces between. There is no space between the ellipsis and the preceding word, but there is
always a space after the ellipsis, unless the following character is a closing bracket or quote mark, in which case
the space is inserted after that character instead.
Example: Można się zastanawiać, czy takie działanie ma sens...
Keep in mind the following when using ellipses/suspension points:
When the ellipsis is used for omitting a fragment of quotation, it is always surrounded with either square brackets
or, more commonly, parentheses, with no space inside. An ellipsis without parentheses usually means a pause in
speech. It can also mean a word said partially and interrupted and in that case can be directly followed by another
punctuation mark without space: Ellipsis can be used at the end of a sentence, but it is always composed of three
dots, never four, and the only difference is the capitalization of the next word.
Example: Nie rób tego... To może być niebezpieczne.
24
Example: Badanie wykazało, że wiele różnych aplikacji (...) wykorzystywano nieprawidłowo.
Period
The period serves to mark the pause at the end of sentence, is used in the dates given in Arabic numerals, and
after abbreviated words except when the final letter of the abbreviation is the same as the final letter of the
unabbreviated word. No periods are used after the main title on the title page or after the title/heading that is all in
upper or lower case (can be used where only the first letter is upper case).
Example: 25.05.2011; prof.
Quotation Marks
Quotation marks are used when referring to quoted text. The correct Polish quotation marks are „lower-upper‖.
In English, when the text between quotation marks appears at the end of the sentence, the period may appear
inside the quotation marks. In Polish, the period should go outside the quotation marks. Even if the whole
sentence is between quotation marks, the period goes outside.
In US source strings, you may find software references surrounded by English quotation marks. In Polish, it is
required due to technical or compilation reasons, straight double quotation marks — "" are used.
Example: Wpisz "CHOICE /?", aby wyświetlić sposób użycia.
Parentheses
In English, there is no space between the parentheses and the text inside them. The same is in Polish.
Example: Naciśnij przycisk Save (Zapisz).
Singular & Plural
While translating, you should pay special attention to the English nouns that are used:
Example:
Source
Target
only in the singular form
information
informacja, informacje
only in the plural form
series
seria, serie
both in plural and singular forms
menu, menus
menu
We should remember that in English compound nouns such as "style sheet" both nouns are usually singular,
even if the meaning is "the sheet of styles". The following example shows this common translation error.
Source
Correct
Incorrect
User style sheet
Arkusz stylów użytkownika
Arkusz stylu użytkownika
The exception from the above rules is the singular-only English nouns that are plural in Polish. The example
below shows the "direct" singular English - singular Polish translation of the noun "informacje".
25
Source
Correct
Incorrect
Set Account Information
Ustaw informacje o koncie
Ustaw informację o koncie
Split Infinitive
This section does not apply to Polish.
Subjunctive
This section does not apply to Polish.
Non-Breaking Spaces
Example:
Non-breaking space (CTRL + SHIFT + SPACE) is used in Polish as a thousand separator and to avoid leaving
the one-letter words as w, z, i at the end of the line.
Example: 20 000; w witrynie
Syntax
Syntax differs between Polish and English in the following ways:
1. The use of the passive voice in English is a lot more common than in Polish. In Polish the passive voice is
avoided and Polish text with many passive sentences does not sound natural. Instead of it we can use
impersonal forms or build phrases in the active voice. For example, the English sentence in the passive
can be translated into Polish as follows:
Source
Correct
Incorrect
A conference ID was given to every
member.
Każdy uczestnik otrzymał
identyfikator konferencji.
Identyfikator konferencji został dany
każdemu uczestnikowi.
Verbs
When translating the text in English you have to remember that the end users are people of all ages, females and
males. You have to choose appropriate vocabulary and you must remember to select verbs which do NOT
discriminate any of the sexes.
Example:
Correct
Incorrect
Jeśli będziesz wykonywać
Jeśli będziesz wykonywał
Jeśli będziesz wykonywała
26
Correct
Incorrect
Aby zmienić
Kiedy będziesz chciał zmienić
Kiedy będziesz chciała zmienić
In English software, you often find that verbs are used as names for buttons, check boxes, commands, menus
and options. Those verbs are translated into Polish also as verbs, but always in the imperative mood and where
possible in the perfect form (forma dokonana, tryb rozkazujący).
Example: Zapisz, Wytnij, Wklej
However, the above rule does not cover all Polish verbs. There are several exceptions:
1. There are verbs that do not have the perfect form in Polish: Cancel – Anuluj, Continue – Kontynuuj
2. Some verbs are traditionally translated in the imperfect form in the localized Microsoft software: Allow –
Zezwalaj; Browse – Przeglądaj
3. Verbs with one-letter prefix in the perfect form are not used in Microsoft localized software, the imperfect
form is used: Minimalizuj (NOT: Zminimalizuj); Porządkuj (NOT: Uporządkuj)
4. Normally most of verbs with prefixes of two or more letters stay in the perfect form (recommended):
Zainstaluj. However, there are exceptions (legacy of previous Microsoft localizations), e.g. Drukuj (not
Wydrukuj).
5. The imperfect form is used in all negations and with prepositions of frequency (like always, often): Do not
save – Nie zapisuj; Always paste – Zawsze wklejaj. Remember also that the perfect form is used with the
prepositions of method: Zapisz automatycznie (NOT: Zapisuj automatycznie); Usuń kaskadowo (NOT:
Usuwaj kaskadowo).
Continuous operations are usually expressed in English with a gerund, which should be translated into Polish as a
present time.
Example:
Source
Target
I am waiting for registration.
Czekam na rejestrację.
Word Order
There are no strict rules concerning the word order in Polish. Remember that non-standard word order is difficult
to interpret.
Example: Sama lektura przynosi pocieszenie can be interpreted in several ways.
27
Style and Tone Considerations
This section focuses on higher-level considerations for audience, style, tone, and voice.
Audience
Software products have a broad audience, so the text should be inclusive and nondiscriminatory. Terminology
should not make users feel that the product is not for them.
Example:
Do: Znajdź wymarzoną osobę.
Don’t: Znajdź mężczyznę swoich marzeń. (Limits the audience to those who date men)
Do: Nie wprowadzono hasła.
Don’t: Nie wprowadziłeś hasła. (Limits the audience to those who are men)
Style
Use simple, direct words. Editorial style must be clear, simple, and correct. Use the simplest and most specific
word possible. For example, use ponadto instead of a na dodatek.
Use precise words. When it works with the tone and voice, use one-word nouns and verbs. Nouns and verbs
containing multiple words, such as odnosić się z wyrozumiałością, doprowadzić do kresu, and osoby stojące na
czele, can be mistakenly interpreted as individual terms instead of the noun or verb phrase. One-word terms,
such as tolerować, zakończyć, and liderzy, are easier to interpret.
Avoid idiomatic and colloquial expressions. Idioms can confuse non-native speakers, and they take extra time to
translate. For example, the Polish equivalent of Kill two birds with one stone is Upiec dwie pieczenie przy jednym
ogniu.
Avoid surprising or humorous word choices, slang, and sarcasm. Puns and coined phrases can be difficult to
interpret, and non-native speakers might not recognize humor or sarcasm.
Avoid acronyms and abbreviations (except if the meaning is obvious, as in St. Petersburg), or use them sparingly
and define them in context. For example, WA is the abbreviation for Washington, a state in the United States, and
for Western Australia.
Use one term for one concept, and use terms consistently. Although the use of synonyms might be more
interesting to read, worldwide users might assume that your choice of a different term indicates a subtle
distinction in meaning. For example, choose between włącz, uruchom, or otwórz aplikację, and be consistent.
28
If a term describing a concept already exists, use it. Use terms that already exist, and avoid using slang terms and
loan translations. Most of the users are most familiar with the standard meaning. For example, use zakończyć
sesję instead of skilić sesję or ubić sesję. Are you unsure if a specific term already exists?
Define emerging terminology in the text. Emerging terminology might not be defined in most dictionaries. Use
common terminology when possible.
Before adopting a new term, make sure an equivalent term doesn’t already exist. Verify spelling and hyphenation
of new terms. Check Polish language dictionaries, other Microsoft product glossaries and documentation, and
Websites, and standards organizations such as the Polish committee for standardization (PKN).
Send new high-level terms/phrases for approval, along with associated screen shots
Avoid using jargon and creating words. skalowalność, spam, pecet are all good examples. If you must use these
terms, define them near the beginning of every section or article. Jargon is also frequently based on metaphor or
U.S. business practices, which might not make sense to worldwide users.
Tone
Tone refers to a writer's attitude toward the reader and the subject matter. Tone creates a personality and affects
the audience's reaction to what is being said. For example, you would use a different tone to write an executive
summary (formal) than you would to write a letter to your cousin (very casual). When writing UI text for Microsoft
products, imagine that you are helping a friend use the product for the first time. This person is not your best
friend or significant other, but instead, a neighbor or family friend. Users should feel comfortable and at home
when using Microsoft products, but the language should not feel presumptuous or too familiar.
Voice
When translating software you have to remember that the end users are people of all ages, females and males.
You have to choose appropriate vocabulary and you must remember to select verbs which do NOT discriminate
any of the sexes.
Example:
English
Translation
You are now connected to the Internet.
Połączono się z Internetem.
29
Localization Guidelines
This section contains guidelines for localization into Polish.
General Considerations
In the area of software localization (which in this context also includes printed and online documentation, web
sites, manuals, help files, license agreements and packaging), the quality of the language is an essential
precondition for the usability of the product. The users can only apply the localized product efficiently if they fully
understand it. Additionally the quality of the language has a direct impact on the product image. A product that
reflects in-depth knowledge of the target market and has the "Look and Feel" of a product originally written in the
language of that market will always have an advantage over products that sound "translated."
This section contains set of guidelines, which should be applied when localizing English software and help into
Polish. There is also a section of the style guide where you find other general guidelines that are used mainly for
localization of documentation. In order to ensure that you are using current terminology and phrases, please,
always look for the translations in the most recent version of the Microsoft terminology databases and other
approved glossaries or reference EDB files. Consistent use of Microsoft approved terminology in all localized
products is one of the major factors in achieving required quality of the localized products.
Abbreviations
Common Abbreviations
You might need to abbreviate some words in the UI (mainly buttons or options names) due to lack of space. This
can be done in the following ways:
1. An abbreviation of a single word should be ended with a consonant.
2. If the abbreviation ends with a soft consonant that is marked by a letter ―i‖ in the full form of the word, e.g.
godzina, osiedle, then in the abbreviation the hard consonant only should be used. Example: godz., os.
not godź., oś.
3. A period is placed after abbreviated words except when the final letter of the abbreviation is the same as
the final letter of the unabbreviated word.
List of common abbreviations:
Expression
Acceptable Abbreviation
zobacz
zob.
według
wg
między innymi
m.in.
do spraw
ds.
30
Accessibility
Please check with each product team the accessibility requirement for each product.
Acronyms
Acronyms are words made up of the initial letters of major parts of a compound term. Some well-known examples
are WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get), OLE (Object Linking and Embedding), or RAM (Random
Access Memory). Abbreviations that end with vowels in the pronunciation should not be inflected, for example:
GUI (Graphical User Interface), SAA (Systems Application Architecture). In case of abbreviations that consist of
capital letters only and end with consonants, choose one of the following methods:
do not inflect, for example: Po znaku zgłoszenia systemu MS-DOS,
inflect with an appropriate declination pattern, and separate the inflectional ending (always in small letters) from
the stem with a dash, for example: zakupiony w IBM-ie.
Localized Acronyms
Example:
Source Abbreviation
Localized Abbreviation
CC
DW
BCC
UDW
CPI
WWK
federal tax ID
NIP
Unlocalized Acronyms
If the English acronym is kept in the Polish text, it should be followed by the full English and (if possible) also
contain a translation into the target language.
Example: FDA (Food and Drug Administration, Agencja ds. Żywności i Leków) – amerykańska agencja rządowa
została utworzona w 1906 roku.
Applications, Products, and Features
Application/product names are often trademarked or may be trademarked in the future and are therefore rarely
translated. Occasionally, feature names are trademarked, too (e.g. IntelliSense™). Before translating any
application, product, or feature name, please verify that it is in fact translatable and not protected in any way.
Product names are often trademarked or may be trademarked in the future and product names are therefore
rarely translated. The rule is that product names are not translated if they include the word Microsoft and/or they
are registered as trademarks (e.g. Microsoft Draw or Microsoft Graph). The preposition "for" is usually translated
(e.g. "Word for Windows" is "Word dla Windows" but "Visual Basic for Applications" is "Visual Basic for
Applications").
31
Feature names are usually localized but, occasionally, feature names are trademarked, too (e.g. IntelliSense™). It
is very important to set the correct translation at the very beginning of the localization process. In documentation
as well as in the software different names can be used for the same products: with the word "Microsoft" or
without. In this case only one rule must be applied.
ENGLISH
POLISH
Microsoft Mouse
Microsoft Mouse
Microsoft Office Word for Windows
Microsoft Office Word dla Windows
Windows for Workgroups
Windows for Workgroups
Microsoft Chat
Microsoft Chat
Frequent Errors
Grammar
Errors occur when parts of the sentence are changed or updated but the whole sentence is not modified to be
grammatically correct. In the following example we can see that the translation of the first part of the sentence had
been apparently changed whereas the second part was not inflected to reflect this change.
Example: Wymaga to wpisania informacji w formularzu zamówienia, w tym numer karty kredytowej.
Another typical error is made when declining words that expanded their meaning or are new in the field of
computers. The following examples show the words "folder" and "toner" were inflected with the inaccurate
declination pattern.
Example: Wybierz lokalizację foldera
Many translators keep the English use of capital letters that is not correct for Polish. In Polish we capitalize only
the first letter in the sentence. In the following example the term "Width" was capitalized in Polish as well.
Example: Dopasuj do Szerokości
Language Standards Used In Microsoft
Adding descriptions: One of the most common errors is omitting a description before names of products,
objects, etc. or trying to inflect the English name with the Polish ending.
Example: Wszystkie polecenia Worda, Inna prezentacja PowerPoint, Zamknij Windows
In Polish localized text you always need to add the description before the names of the objects, menus,
commands, dialog box elements, icons, etc.
32
Avoiding forms "Twój, Twojego, ten, tego" etc.: Opposite to English, Polish phrases are usually translated in
the impersonal form. Therefore, we usually omit words like "your" and "this" or translate "your computer" as "this
computer". As it is not always possible to replace "your" with this" or omit it altogether, in the example below
"user's preferences" were used instead of "your preferences".
Example: Pozwala na określenie konfiguracji głośników, tak aby jak najlepiej była ona dopasowana do Twoich
preferencji.
Fictitious Information
Fictitious content is legally sensitive material and as such cannot be handled as a pure terminology or localization
issue. Below is some basic information and contact points when dealing with fictitious content:
Vendors and Localizers are not allowed to create their own fictitious names. You must either use the source
names or use the list of legally approved names.
Recurring Patterns
When translating titles there are certain recurrent patterns that you should pay attention to, as indicated below:
ENGLISH
POLISH
What's New in <productname>
Co nowego w programie <nazwa_programu>
Getting Started with <productname>
Wprowadzenie do programu <nazwa_programu>
Installing and Configuring <productname>
Instalowanie i konfigurowanie programu
<nazwa_programu>
Standardized Translations
Neologisms
Prepositions and other parts of speech used with neologisms depend on their semantic collocations
Example:
SOURCE
TARGET
Convert directory to file.
Konwertuj katalog na plik.
The verb konwertować is used together with the preposition na, not with the prepositions do or w, because
semantically it is similar to the verb przetwarzać. The preposition w is used together with the verb przekształcać.
33
Deceiving Sentences
The following sentences probably cannot be translated properly and accurately into Polish. The best solution is to
translate them in the following way:
Examples:
SOURCE
TARGET
One or more parameters were invalid.
Co najmniej jeden parametr jest nieprawidłowy.
Deleted one or more files.
Usunięto jeden lub więcej plików.
One or more files were corrupted.
Nastąpiło uszkodzenie jednego lub większej liczby plików.
Avoid Copying Grammar Structures
It is recommended to avoid copying English grammar structures, which are especially inappropriate in sentences
like: "Możesz ..." (You can...);
Example:
SOURCE
TARGET
Initially, Works displays the Toolbar and ruler when
you create a new document, but you can turn off the
display if you would like more workspace.
Przy tworzeniu nowego dokumentu w programie Works są
wyświetlane pasek narzędzi i linijka. Jeżeli jest potrzebny
większy obszar roboczy, pasek narzędzi i linijkę można
wyłączyć.
Simplicity
Terminology and phrases used in the translation should be as understandable and simple as possible.
Examples:
CORRECT
INCORRECT
Czy masz system Windows?
Czy posiadasz system Windows?
Usuwać
dokonywać usunięcia
konwertować
dokonywać konwersji
liczba komputerów
ilość komputerów (BUT: ilość wody)
inicjowanie
inicjacja
34
CORRECT
INCORRECT
przez, za pomocą, dzięki
poprzez
oprócz
poza
przez dłuższy czas
przez dłuższy okres czasu
za pomocą polecenia
przy pomocy polecenia (BUT: przy pomocy kolegi)
unikatowy
unikalny
wywoływać funkcję
wołać funkcję
korzystać, używać, stosować
wykorzystywać
Accuracy
One of the most often an error is using incorrect Polish counterparts, which at first glance seem to be obvious
translations of a given word.
Examples:
Source
Correct
Incorrect
start
uruchomienie
start
restart
ponowne uruchomienie
restart
compatible
zgodny
kompatybilny
result
wynik
rezultat
line
wiersz lub linia
linia
selection
wybór lub zaznaczenie
selekcja
details
szczegóły
detale
error message
komunikat o błędzie
komunikat błędu
actual
bieżący
aktualny
start
uruchomienie
start
35
While translating, you should pay special attention to the English nouns that are used:
SOURCE
TARGET
only in the singular form
information
informacja, informacje
only in the plural form
series
seria, serie
both in plural and singular forms
menu, menus
menu
SOURCE
CORRECT
INCORRECT
Windows Series
Seria Windows
Serie Windows
For more information...
Więcej informacji...
Dalszą informację...
Examples:
Polish terminology should also be translated accurately.
Examples:
SOURCE
CORRECT
INCORRECT
group icon
ikona grupy
grupa ikony
Group icons
grupuj ikony; ikony grup
ikony grupy, grupa ikon
BUT: shortcut keys
klawisze skrótu
klawisze skrótów
Word Order
Word order is extremely important. In Polish, adjectives are usually placed before nouns that they refer to.
Adjectives placed after nouns describe permanent features or are parts of proper names:
Examples:
CORRECT
INCORRECT
instalacja pełna
pełna instalacja
dysk twardy
twardy dysk
Personifications
Common errors are personifications of things and ideas. To avoid it, use the following structures:
36
Examples:
CORRECT
INCORRECT
W rozdziale przedstawiono...
Rozdział przedstawia...
Na ekranie pojawi się pytanie...
Komputer zapyta...
W programie założono, że...
Pokazany program zakłada,...
W podręczniku opisano
Podręcznik opisuje
Nonstandard Declination Patterns
Nouns like: menedżer, projektant, konstruktor, instalator, kreator should be inflected like other personal nouns. As
a result, following forms are obligatory: kreatorzy, projektanci etc.
The exception from this rule is the noun edytor used in the meaning of computer application. This noun should be
inflected as follows: Nom. edytor, Gen. edytora, Acc. edytor, Nom. pl. edytory.
NOTE! If one of the nouns mentioned above refers to an application, for example to a wizard that allows you
creating tables, it should start with a capital letter.
Examples:
W programie X są dostępni następujący projektanci:
Tabela zostanie utworzona za pomocą Kreatora tabel.
Non-translatable Proper Names
Properties and device, application, folder, file, command or feature names that are not translated are also not
inflected. Instead of that, it is recommended to insert before such a word the name of the object class that it
belongs to.
Examples:
SOURCE
TARGET
Moveable is read/write at run time.
Właściwość Moveable jest do odczytu/zapisu w czasie
wykonywania aplikacji.
Unlocalized Items
Trademarked names and the name Microsoft Corporation shouldn’t be localized. A list of Microsoft trademarks is
available for your reference at the following location: http://www.microsoft.com/trademarks/t-mark/names.htm.
The only items that should remain unlocalized in Polish are the product/feature/company names.
37
WORD
COMMENT
OK
It is the only UI item that may remain unlocalized.
Using the Word Microsoft
In English, it is prohibited to use MS as an abbreviation for Microsoft.
In Polish localized text you always need to add the description before the Microsoft. The name Microsoft cannot
be inflected.
Example: Nawiąż współpracę z firmą Microsoft.
Software Considerations
This section refers to all menus, menu items, commands, buttons, check boxes, etc., which should be consistently
translated in the localized product.
Refer to http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/aa511258.aspx for a detailed explanation of the Windows user interface
guidelines (English).
User Interface
UI COMPONENT
SOURCE
TARGET
COMMENT
Menu
Edit
Edycja (NOT: Edytuj)
You should always try to choose a
noun in the nominative case as a
translation for the menu
Commands
Comment
Paste
Komentarz
Wklej
Command names which are nouns
should be translated as nouns in the
nominative case (rzeczowniki zawsze
w mianowniku). Command names
which are verbs are normally
translated as verbs, but always
remember to apply the rules for verbs
described in the section Verbs.
Dialog box titles
Edit
Save
Add File Type
New
Include in index?
Edycja
Zapisywanie
Dodawanie typu pliku
Nowy
Czy uwzględnić w
indeksie?
The main titles of the dialog boxes in
the Polish localized products should
always have a noun form except for
adjectives and questions that are
translated as adjectives and questions.
If for some reason the command name
in the US software is not the same as
38
the dialog title, e.g.: command is
Information (Informacje) and the dialog
box main title is Information Window,
we also translate Okno informacji.
Group Box Titles
(Option Group Titles
or subtitles)
Show
Pokazywanie
The group box titles should mostly
take a form of nouns, always the
nominative case. Adjectives and
questions are translated as adjectives
and questions.
If the group box titles are verbs, such
as Allow or Specify remote control
settings, the group box titles should be
translated as nouns like Zezwalanie,
Określanie ustawień zdalnego
sterowania. It is important to use the
form derived from the verb and not the
noun counterpart of the word, e.g. title
Choose is translated as Wybieranie
(not Wybór). The imperfect form
should be used, e.g. Przygotowywanie
(not Przygotowanie).
Checkboxes and
radio buttons
Comments
Page number
Komentarze
Numer strony
Check boxes names and radio
options, which are nouns, should be
translated as nouns, always the
nominative case (zawsze w
mianowniku). Options are not
grammatically connected to the
options group titles to which they
belong and they do not take any
inflection to reflect connection with the
group option title.
Tabs
Print
Drukowanie
Button names, which are nouns,
should be translated as nouns, always
the nominative case.
Dropdown
lists/tables
Keep personal
addresses in:
Contacts
Tasks
Zachowaj adresy
prywatne w:
Kontakty (not:
Kontaktach)
Zadania (not: Zadaniach)
The list titles and list elements are not
grammatically connected and they do
not take any inflection to reflect
connection between the list title and
the elements of that list.
Ribbon-Tabs
Format
Formatowanie
Tabs are translated using noun (title)
form.
Ribbon-Groups
Adjust
Dopasowywanie
Groups (also known as Chunks) are
translated using noun (title) form.
39
Messages
Status Messages
What is a Status Bar Message?
A status bar message is an informational message about the active document or a selected command as well as
about any active or selected interface item. Messages are shown in the status bar at the bottom of the window
when the user has chosen a menu, a command or any other item, or has started a function. The status bar
messages refer to actions being performed or already complete (for example in Outlook below).
Polish Style in Status bar Messages
In English, the status bar messages have different forms dependent on the information they must convey. In
Polish, menu and commands status bar messages should follow the format below.
Name
Insert
Polish Name
Wstaw
Category
English Status Bar
message
Polish Status Bar message
menu
Insert various types of text
and graphics
Wstaw różnego typy tekstu i
grafiki.
menu
Create, open, save, print
documents or quit Word
Utwórz, otwórz, zapisz lub
wydrukuj dokumenty bądź
zakończ pracę z programem
Word.
command
Creates a new document
Tworzy nowy dokument
Make object visible?
Czy obiekt ma być widoczny?
Word is converting the
document. Press Esc to
stop.
Program Word konwertuje
dokument. Naciśnij przycisk
Esc, aby zatrzymać
konwertowanie.
Datasheet View
Widok arkusza danych
Done
Gotowe
Plik
File
New
Nowy
40
The importance of standardization
In the US product you can often find messages that are phrased differently even though they have the same
meaning. Try to avoid this in the localized Polish version. Use one standard translation as in the examples below:
English term
Correct Polish translation
Press F1 to get Help
Aby uzyskać Pomoc, naciśnij klawisz F1.
If you want Help press F1
To get Help press F1
Not enough memory
Za mało pamięci.
Insufficient memory
There is not enough memory
Save changes to %1?
Zapisać zmiany w %1?
Do you want to save changes to %1?
Error Messages
What Is An Error Message?
Here is an example:
Error messages are messages sent by the system or a program, informing the user that there is an error that
must be corrected in order for the program to keep running. For example, the messages can prompt the user to
take an action or inform the user of an error that requires rebooting the computer.
Polish Style in Error Messages
It is important to use consistent terminology and language style in the localized error messages, and not just
translate as they appear in the US product.
It is important to use the correct Polish style in the localized error messages, and not just translate the American
messages.
The user is sometimes asked whether he or she wants to complete an action that has been interrupted due to an
error. In the US text, often an "abbreviated" sentence structure is used. In Polish, use the same abbreviated style
with a minimum of words used. Complete sentences take up too much space in the message boxes.
41
Example: The selection is too big. Continue without Undo? - Zaznaczenie jest za duże. Czy kontynuować bez
możliwości cofnięcia?
Polish error messages always finish with the period. Sometimes error messages have other than ERR or MSG
category. They have for example TXT or HTML Text category. If there is no information about nature of a string in
the instructions (Instructions column or description of a file/database) and the string looks like an error message
(see examples below) it is better to follow rules described in this chapter. All error messages should end with a
period but if it is difficult to find out whether it is an error message or not it is better to follow original text.
Use exclamation marks in Polish error messages in similar manner as they are used in the US version. You
should remember that not all English sentences, which end with the exclamation mark, should have one in Polish.
Exclamation mark can be omitted when error message is a descriptive text.
Error messages are an exception from the Polish rule about avoiding personifications. Error messages are
messages from the program to the user, and personifications are acceptable to a certain degree.
Example: Word cannot open file - Program Word nie może otworzyć pliku
Standard Phrases in Error Messages
When translating standard phrases, standardize. Note that sometimes the US uses different forms to express the
same thing.
You can often use the Polish construction "Nie można..." for the following US expressions:
Cannot...
Could not...
Unable to...
Failed to...
Use present tense even if the US error message is in the past tense. In Polish error messages, use the phrase
"Nie można odnaleźć..." to express the following US phrases:
Cannot find...
Could not find...
Unable to find...
Failed to find...
In Polish, the word "please" is omitted and the sentence is in the imperative mood.
A sentence construction with the phrase "while ~ing" can be translated as follow:
An error occurred while attempting to create the directory. - Wystąpił błąd podczas próby utworzenia katalogu.
Questions are translated as questions even if the US sentence has the affirmative structure and ends with a
question mark. The questions take the personal form. Please remember to translate the questions accurately, i.e.
if the question reads "Are you sure you want..." the translation should be "Czy na pewno chcesz..." and not "Czy
chcesz...".
Error Messages Containing Instructions: Imperative mood as well as personal form should be used in translating
instructions.
42
Example: To skip creating your startup disk, click Cancel. - Aby pominąć tworzenie dysku startowego, kliknij
przycisk Anuluj.
Examples:
English
Cannot …
Could not …
Failed to …
Failure of …
Translation
Example
Nie można
Could not start print job. Nie można rozpocząć
zadania drukowania.
Nie można
Failed to create empty
document. - Nie można
utworzyć pustego
dokumentu.
Nie można odnaleźć
Cannot find the file - Nie
można odnaleźć pliku.
Za mało pamięci
There is not enough
memory available - Za
mało pamięci.
Jest niedostępny
Device unavailable –
Urządzenie jest
niedostępne
Comment
Cannot find …
Could not find …
Unable to find …
Unable to locate …
Not enough memory
Insufficient memory
There is not enough memory
There is not enough memory
available
... is not available
... is unavailable
Error Messages Containing Placeholders
When localizing error messages containing placeholders, try to find out what will replace the placeholder. This is
necessary for the sentence to be grammatically correct when the placeholder is replaced with a word or phrase.
Note that the letters used in placeholders convey a specific meaning, see examples below:
%d, %ld, %u, and %lu means <number>
%c means <letter>
%s means <string>
Examples of error messages containing placeholders:
"Checking Web %1!d! of %2!d!" means "Checking Web <number> of <number>".
"INI file "%1!-.200s!" section" means "INI file "<string>" section".
43
The following table provides examples of error messages with placeholder text, and the final error messages that
users will see:
English text containing
placeholders
Error %d getting session names
The user %s is logged on locally
to this computer.
Final source message
Final target error message
Error <number> getting session
names
The user <name> is logged on locally
to this computer.
Wystąpił błąd <numer> podczas
uzyskiwania nazw sesji.
Użytkownik <nazwa> jest
zalogowany lokalnie do tego
komputera.
In the English source string, placeholders are found in the position where they would naturally occur in that
language. Since in English numerals typically precede the noun, the numeral placeholders typically precede the
noun in the source strings. This order is also followed in most Polish examples, but check that this is the case in
your specific examples or if you need to change the position of any word in the sentence due to declension.
English Example
Polish Example
Language tip
%u hours ago
Godzin temu: x
If the word order remains unchanged, the final Polish sentence will read: 5
godziny temu, etc.
Keys
The keyboard is the primary input device used for text input in Microsoft Windows. For accessibility and efficiency,
most actions can be performed using the keyboard as well. While working with Microsoft software, you use keys,
key combinations and key sequences.
In English, references to key names, like arrow keys, function keys and numeric keys, appear in normal text (not
in small caps). In Polish we refer to the key names by their name preceded by the word "klawisz‖ (i.e. naciśnij
klawisz CTRL). The English names of the keys are not translated into Polish, except for the keys Spacebar
(spacja) and arrow keys.
English
Polish
ALT
BACKSPACE
CAPS LOCK
CTRL
DEL
DOWN ARROW
END
ENTER
ESC
F1-F12
HOME
INS
LEFT ARROW
ALT
BACKSPACE
CAPS LOCK
CTRL
DEL
Strzałka w dół
END
ENTER
ESC
F1-F12
HOME
INS
Strzałka w lewo
44
English
Polish
NUM LOCK
PAGE DOWN
PAGE UP
PAUSE
PRINT SCREEN
NUM LOCK
PAGE DOWN
PAGE UP
PAUSE
PRINT SCREEN
SCROLL LOCK
SCROLL LOCK
SHIFT
SPACEBAR
TAB
SHIFT
Spacja
TAB
Access Keys/Hot keys
Sometimes, there are underlined or highlighted letters in menu options, commands or dialog boxes. These letters
refer to access keys (also known as hot keys) that allow you to run commands, perform tasks, etc. more quickly.
The following table lists special options for hot keys in US-English interfaces and describes whether each option
is allowed in Polish
Hot Key Special Options
Usage: Is It Allowed?
Notes
"Slim characters", such as I, l, t, r, f
can be used as hot key
YES
Slim characters are allowed, though
they are not recommended because
they might be hard to see
Characters with downstrokes, such
as g, j, y, p and q can be used as
hotkeys
YES
Extended characters can be used as NO
45
Hot Key Special Options
Usage: Is It Allowed?
Notes
hotkeys
An additional letter, appearing
between brackets after item name,
can be used as hotkeys
NO
A number, appearing between
brackets after item name, can be
used as hotkey
NO
A punctuation sign, appearing
between brackets after item name,
can be used as hotkey
NO
Duplicate hotkeys are allowed when
no other character is available
YES
No hotkey is assigned when no
YES
more characters are available (minor
options only)
Additional notes: N/A
Arrow Keys
The arrow keys move input focus among the controls within a group. Pressing the right arrow key moves input
focus to the next control in tab order, whereas pressing the left arrow moves input focus to the previous control.
Home, End, Up, and Down also have their expected behavior within a group. Users can't navigate out of a control
group using arrow keys.
Arrow key names may not be written capitalized in generic contexts (i.e. Za pomocą klawisza strzałki w górę
przejdź do następnego okna).
Numeric Keypad
It is recommended that you avoid distinguishing numeric keypad keys from the other keys, unless it is required by
a given application. In case which keys to be pressed is not obvious, provide necessary explanations.
Shortcut Keys
Shortcut keys are keystrokes or combinations of keystrokes used to perform defined functions in a software
application. Shortcut keys replace menu commands and they are sometimes given next to the command they
represent. In opposition to the access keys, which can be used only when available on the screen, shortcut keys
can be used even when they are not accessible on the screen.
46
Standard Shortcut Keys
US
Command
US English Shortcut
Key
Polish
Command
Polish
Shortcut key
General Windows Shortcut keys
Help window
F1
Okno Pomocy
F1
Context-sensitive Help
Shift+F1
Pomoc kontekstowa
Shift+F1
Display pop-up menu
Shift+F10
Wyświetlenie menu
kontekstowego
Shift+F10
Cancel
Esc
Anulowanie
Esc
Activate\Deactivate menu bar F10
mode
Aktywacja/dezaktywacja trybu
paska menu
F10
Switch to the next primary
application
Alt+Tab
Przełączenie się do następnej
aktywnej aplikacji
Alt+Tab
Display next window
Alt+Esc
Wyświetlenie następnego okna
Alt+Esc
Display pop-up menu for the
window
Alt+Spacebar
Wyświetlenie menu
podręcznego okna
Alt+spacja
Display pop-up menu for the
active child window
Alt+-
Wyświetlanie menu
systemowego okna
podrzędnego interfejsu
dokumentu wielokrotnego
Alt+-
Display property sheet for
current selection
Alt+Enter
Wyświetlenie właściwości
zaznaczonego elementu
Alt+Enter
Close active application
window
Alt+F4
Zamykanie bieżącego okna
Alt+F4
Switch to next window within
(modeless-compliant)
application
Alt+F6
Przełączanie między oknami
tego samego programu
Alt+F6
Capture active window image Alt+Prnt Scrn
to the Clipboard
Przechwycenie obrazu
aktywnego okna do Schowka
Alt+Prnt Scrn
Capture desktop image to the Prnt Scrn
Clipboard
Przechwycenie obrazu pulpitu
do Schowka
Prnt Scrn
Access Start button in
taskbar
Otwieranie menu Start
Ctrl+Esc
Ctrl+Esc
47
US
Command
US English Shortcut
Key
Polish
Command
Polish
Shortcut key
Display next child window
Ctrl+F6
Otwieranie następnego okna
aktywnego programu
Ctrl+F6
Display next tabbed pane
Ctrl+Tab
Przełączanie do następnego
okienka podrzędnego
Ctrl+Tab
Launch Task Manager and
system initialization
Ctrl+Shift+Esc
Otwieranie Menedżera zadań
systemu Windows
Ctrl+Shift+Esc
File Menu
File New
Ctrl+N
Nowy
Ctrl+N
File Open
Ctrl+O
Otwórz
Ctrl+O
File Close
Ctrl+F4
Zamknij
Ctrl+F4
File Save
Ctrl+S
Zapisz
Ctrl+S
File Save as
F12
Zapisz jako
F12
File Print Preview
Ctrl+F2
Podgląd wydruku
Ctrl+F2
File Print
Ctrl+P
Drukuj
Ctrl+P
File Exit
Alt+F4
Zakończ
Alt+F4
Edit Menu
Edit Undo
Ctrl+Z
Cofnij
Ctrl+Z
Edit Repeat
Ctrl+Y
Powtórz
Ctrl+Y
Edit Cut
Ctrl+X
Wytnij
Ctrl+X
Edit Copy
Ctrl+C
Kopiuj
Ctrl+C
Edit Paste
Ctrl+V
Wklej
Ctrl+V
Edit Delete
Ctrl+Backspace
Usuń
Ctrl+Backspace
Edit Select All
Ctrl+A
Zaznacz wszystko
Ctrl+A
Edit Find
Ctrl+F
Znajdź
Ctrl+F
Edit Replace
Ctrl+H
Zastąp
Ctrl+H
Edit Go To
Ctrl+B
Przejdź do
Ctrl+B
Help Menu
Help
F1
Pomoc
F1
48
US
Command
US English Shortcut
Key
Polish
Command
Polish
Shortcut key
Font Format
Italic
Ctrl+I
Kursywa
Ctrl+I
Bold
Ctrl+G
Pogrubienie
Ctrl+G
Underlined\Word underline
Ctrl+U
Podkreślenie
Ctrl+U
Large caps
Ctrl+Shift+A
Formatuje tekst jako wersaliki
Ctrl+Shift+A
Small caps
Ctrl+Shift+K
Formatuje tekst jako kapitaliki
Ctrl+Shift+K
Paragraph Format
Centered
Ctrl+E
Wyśrodkowany
Ctrl+E
Left aligned
Ctrl+L
Wyrównany do lewej
Ctrl+L
Right aligned
Ctrl+R
Wyrównany do prawej
Ctrl+R
Justified
Ctrl+J
Wyjustowany
Ctrl+J
Document Translation Considerations
Document localization may require some specific considerations that are different from software localization. This
section covers a few of these areas.
Titles
In English the titles for chapters usually begin with "How to …" or with phrases such as "Working with …" or
"Using …". In the Polish version of Microsoft documentation, section and subsection titles should be translated
consistently throughout the documentation and they should indicate issues covered in a given part of a text. It is
important to entitle sections containing similar information in the same language style.
SOURCE
CORRECT
INCORRECT
What is Program Manager?
Co to jest Menedżer programów?
Czym jest Menedżer programów?
What is File Manager?
Co to jest Menedżer plików?
Czym jest jest Menedżer plików?
What is Print Manager?
Co to jest Menedżer wydruku?
Czym jest jest Menedżer plików?
All Help systems have a US name in the form "Microsoft XXX Help". The Polish equivalent is "Microsoft XXX Pomoc".
49
Headings in a verb form are always translated in a noun form (e.g. "Print documents" – "Drukowanie
dokumentów", see below for more examples), regardless of how it is in the original text except headings for
procedures and troubleshooting.
Headings for topics in Troubleshooting Help are often constructed after the pattern "I have done so‑and‑so, but
this‑or‑that doesn't happen". Translate these directly.
Headings in the form "XXX command, YYY menu" are translated in the form "XXX, polecenie (menu YYY)".
These can often be longer, and parentheses are used to separate the parts: "XXX check box (YYY tab, ZZZ
command, NNN menu)". This is translated as follows: "XXX, pole wyboru (menu NNN, polecenie ZZZ, karta
YYY)". The parts within the parenthesis are always sorted in order of action (first select menu, then command,
subcommand and tab or button), even though the English text is not always consistent in this respect.
The same form is used for Reference Help headings (e.g. for Visual Basic language reference). Headings in the
form "XXX method" are translated "XXX, metoda".
Example headings in reference help are as follows: "YYY function example" is translated "YYY, funkcja przykład".
SOURCE
TARGET
Find command, Edit menu
Znajdź, polecenie (menu Edycja)
For information ..., click ...
Aby uzyskać informacje ..., kliknij ...
For more information ..., click ...
Aby uzyskać więcej informacji ..., kliknij ...
Location of Document list box (Modify Location
dialog, File Location Tab, Options command, Tools
menu)
Lokalizacja pola listy dokumentów (menu Narzędzia,
polecenie Opcje, karta Lokalizacja plików, okno
dialogowe Modyfikowanie lokalizacji)
Print Property
Print, właściwość
Print Property Example
Print, właściwość - przykład
Rectangles Collection Object
Prostokąty, kolekcja obiektów
Rectangles Collection Object, Example
Prostokąty, kolekcja obiektów - przykład
50
Choose..., Choosing…
Wybieranie...
Add…, Adding…
Dodawanie...
Print…, Printing...
Drukowanie...
Use..., Using...
Korzystanie z...(using programs, systems, software,
services, databases, etc.)
Używanie... (using tools, mouse, keyboard, buttons,
options, etc.)
Wykorzystywanie... (capabilities, vulnerabilities, chances,
possibilities, abilities, etc.)
...defined
Definicja...
...dialog box
..., okno dialogowe
...in general
Ogólne informacje o...
...overview
Omówienie...
...Summary
Podsumowanie informacji o...
Additional information
Informacje dodatkowe
Additional Resources
Dodatkowe materiały
Applies to
Dotyczy
Basis for using...
Podstawowe informacje dotyczące korzystania z....
Best practices
Najważniejsze wskazówki
Cause
Przyczyna
Common tasks for...
Typowe zadania dla....
Description of..
Opis...
How ...works
Opis działania...
51
How to...
Jak...
Introduction to...
Wprowadzenie do...
Jump right in
Z marszu
New Features
Nowe funkcje
New ways to do familiar tasks
Nowe sposoby wykonywania znanych zadań
Note
Uwaga (lub Zauważ)
Notes
Uwagi
Remarks
Spostrzeżenia
Return to top
Powrót do początku
Review concepts
Przegląd pojęć
Solution
Rozwiązanie
Understanding...
Opis...
Working with...
Praca z...
Copyright
Copyright protection is granted to any original work of authorship fixed in any tangible medium of expression from
which it can be perceived, reproduced, or communicated.
Pay attention to the fact that the trademarks and the name of Microsoft Corporation mustn’t be localized. Also the
word Copyright is omitted in the localized term, only the © sign is preserved.
Example: Copyright© Microsoft Corporation 1995-2001. All rights reserved. - Copyright© Microsoft Corporation
1995-2001. Wszelkie prawa zastrzeżone.
52