English-Polish Dictionaries Think You’re Stupid (And They’re Not Your Friends)

"But then English-Polish dictionaries come in to multiply the misery by however many definitions they can think of. Ever notice how one English word turns into a Polish word salad with a side of confusion?"

Ever looked up a word in an English-Polish dictionary and felt like you’d just opened a Pandora's box? You go in searching for one simple meaning, and suddenly you’re hit with 17 different Polish translations staring back at you. Suddenly, English vocabulary seems as vast and incomprehensible as… well, its grammar.

But here’s the thing—it’s really not. And English-Polish dictionaries? They’re not your friend, and they assume you have the cognitive abilities of a particularly dim goldfish.

The Vocabulary Myth: English Words Have Soooo Many Meanings

You’ve probably heard the rumor that English has more words than any other language. Over a million, according to the Global Language Monitor. That’s more than enough to give any learner a panic attack. But don't worry, English-Polish dictionaries come in to multiply the misery by however many definitions they can think of... and they get creative. Ever notice how one English word turns into a Polish word salad with a side of confusion?

Especially if we’re talking about common verbs like “get.” Google it, and you'll be greeted with a Polish word catalog that would make even a computer beg for a reboot: dostać, zdobyć, otrzymać, zajechać, dotrzeć, pobierać, postarać się, stawać się, załadować się, przyprowadzać, uprosić, odbierać należności, odstawić kogoś dokądś, dolatywać, nabawić się choroby, trafić kogoś ze strzelby (my personal favorite—what if it was a cannon instead of a shotgun?), oberwać burę (the creativity is strong with this one), and przeprawiać.

That’s 17 of them, in case you lost count. Do dictionary writers get paid per definition?

This unfortunately just fuels the myth that mastering English is about as doable as getting your cat to do your taxes. 

The Problem with Dictionaries

Dictionaries have the same problem as grammar books—they think you’re dumber than a bag of rocks. They don’t trust you (or themselves, let’s be real) to grasp the actual concept behind a word. So, instead of giving you the core meaning, they flood you with a dozen literal translations, each tied to a hyper-specific context. Deal with it.

And that’s how you end up with one simple English word like “get” having enough translations in Polish to make your brain hurt. The dictionary wants you to memorize them all, but that’s about the last thing you want to do if you still have any respect for your brain cells.

"English is a very conceptual language. Words and structures show you things and then rely on that squishy thing between your ears to interpret it."

The Reality

The truth is much simpler. English is a very conceptual language. Words and structures show you things and then rely on that squishy thing between your ears to interpret it. That’s why one concept applied in different contexts can produce a string of seemingly different definitions. It’s not magic—it’s thinking. That thing we used to do before dictionaries and “grammar” books killed it in favor of memorizing.

Let’s get back to “get.” You don’t need to memorize all those meanings. The core concept behind "get" is all about the process of obtaining or acquiring something, whether it's a thing, a quality, or an outcome. That's it. One concept, endless applications. Whether you’re "getting" a new job, "getting" to the train station, or "getting" sick, the underlying idea is the same: you’re obtaining something or acquiring some state or effect.

Stop memorizing all the meanings of these so-called "Light Verbs" - we debunked them in this short video:

The Solution: Ditch the Dictionary, Embrace the Concept

So, what's the fix? Sorry, no magic wand (or a magic dictionary, for that matter). We haven't birthed the AntiMethod Dictionary... yet.

In our classes, we don't just throw definitions at you like word confetti. We teach you what words actually do—what they show, how they work, and why (most often) they make sense.

Instead of memorizing lists of words like it’s some dystopian quiz show, we show you how to understand the bigger picture. We focus on the conceptual meaning behind these words so you understand where their definitions come from… and that there can be more.

But we don’t stop there! We also attack vocabulary from our AntiMethod angle—logical explanations through meaning. We teach our students to understand word elements: prefixes, roots (I've never seen anyone teach roots in ESL materials, but they are so crucial!!!), and suffixes. Suddenly, you can get an idea of what a word means without ever having seen it before. It's practically a linguistic superpower.

"We focus on the conceptual meaning behind these words so you understand where their definitions come from… and that there can be more."

And let's be honest, understanding why words mean what they mean is the holy grail of language mastery. It's the only way to deal with new words when they're coming at you faster than vodka shots at a Polish wedding.

If you're ready to stop second-guessing yourself in English, and if you want to start seeing English the way native speakers do—book a FREE 90-minute DEMO with us. Remember, we don't just teach you English. We teach you how to think in English. And trust me, it's a lot more fun than memorizing dictionary entries.