A1 Collocation Neutral 1 min de lectura

dobra praca

good job

Practícalo

Phrase in 30 Seconds

The essential Polish way to say 'Good job' or 'Well done' when someone completes a task successfully.

  • Means: 'Good work' or 'Good job' used to praise effort.
  • Used in: Offices, schools, and casual settings after a task.
  • Don't confuse: 'Praca' (work/job) with 'Robot' (the machine).
Person + Hard Work + Result = Dobra praca! 🏆

Explicación a tu nivel:

This is a very simple phrase. 'Dobra' means 'good' and 'praca' means 'work'. You use it to say someone did a good job. It is like saying 'Well done' in English. You can say it to your friends or your teacher.
At this level, you should know that 'praca' is a feminine noun. This is why we say 'dobra' and not 'dobry'. You can use this phrase in a full sentence like 'To jest dobra praca' or as a short exclamation. It is very useful in the office or at school.
As an intermediate learner, you should distinguish between 'dobra praca' (neutral/formal) and 'dobra robota' (informal). You should also be able to decline the phrase in the accusative case: 'Dziękuję za dobrą pracę'. It is a key phrase for professional networking and giving positive feedback in Polish.
At the B2 level, you recognize the nuance of 'dobra praca' as both a compliment for a task and a description of a career path. You can use it in complex sentences like 'Doceniam twoją dobrą pracę nad tym projektem'. You understand that while simple, it is a powerful tool for building professional rapport in Poland.
Advanced learners should analyze 'dobra praca' within the context of Polish work ethics and linguistic pragmatics. It serves as a standard collocation that avoids the potential hyperbole of more emotive adjectives. You should be comfortable using it alongside more sophisticated synonyms like 'nienaganna realizacja' or 'rzetelne wykonanie' depending on the specific professional register required.
Mastery involves understanding the subtle sociolinguistic implications of 'dobra praca' versus its more colloquial or technical counterparts. A C2 speaker understands the historical evolution of 'praca' from its Proto-Slavic roots of 'hardship' to its modern status as a neutral professional term. You can manipulate the phrase for rhetorical effect, including irony or understated praise, and understand its placement within the broader landscape of Polish honorifics and workplace hierarchy.

Significado

Praising someone for their effort.

🌍

Contexto cultural

Poles value 'rzetelność' (reliability). Saying 'dobra praca' is often seen as a more sincere compliment than 'super' or 'extra' because it acknowledges the actual labor involved. In modern Polish offices, English terms like 'Good job' or 'Feedback' are often mixed with Polish. However, 'Dobra robota' remains the king of informal office praise. Teachers often write 'Dobra praca' or 'Bardzo dobra praca' at the bottom of tests. It corresponds to the grade '4' (dobry) or '5' (bardzo dobry). On LinkedIn or Facebook, you will see 'Dobra robota!' or 'Gratulacje!' more often than 'Dobra praca!', as 'robota' feels more energetic and 'community-driven'.

💡

The 'TS' sound

Make sure to pronounce the 'c' in 'praca' as 'ts'. If you say it like 'k', it sounds like 'praka' which isn't a word.

⚠️

Gender matching

Always use 'dobra' (feminine) with 'praca'. 'Dobry praca' is a very common beginner mistake.

💡

The 'TS' sound

Make sure to pronounce the 'c' in 'praca' as 'ts'. If you say it like 'k', it sounds like 'praka' which isn't a word.

⚠️

Gender matching

Always use 'dobra' (feminine) with 'praca'. 'Dobry praca' is a very common beginner mistake.

🎯

Use 'Robota' for friends

If you are with friends, 'Dobra robota!' sounds much more natural and 'cool' than 'Dobra praca!'.

Ponte a prueba

Choose the correct form of the adjective for the noun 'praca'.

______ praca!

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: Dobra

'Praca' is feminine, so it requires the feminine adjective ending '-a'.

Complete the sentence to say 'Good job, Marek!'.

Dobra ______, Marek!

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: praca

'Dobra praca' is the standard way to say 'Good job'. 'Robota' would also work informally.

Match the phrase to the situation.

Your colleague just finished a great presentation.

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: Dobra praca!

'Dobra praca' is used to praise someone's effort or result.

Fill in the missing line.

A: Naprawiłem twój komputer. B: Naprawdę? ______!

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: Dobra praca

B is praising A for fixing the computer.

🎉 Puntuación: /4

Ayudas visuales

Praca vs Robota

Dobra Praca
Neutral Neutral
Formal Formal
Dobra Robota
Informal Informal
Energetic Energetic

Banco de ejercicios

5 ejercicios
Elige la respuesta correcta Fill Blank

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta:
Choose the correct form of the adjective for the noun 'praca'. Choose A1

______ praca!

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: Dobra

'Praca' is feminine, so it requires the feminine adjective ending '-a'.

Complete the sentence to say 'Good job, Marek!'. Fill Blank A1

Dobra ______, Marek!

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: praca

'Dobra praca' is the standard way to say 'Good job'. 'Robota' would also work informally.

Match the phrase to the situation. situation_matching A1

Your colleague just finished a great presentation.

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: Dobra praca!

'Dobra praca' is used to praise someone's effort or result.

Fill in the missing line. dialogue_completion A2

A: Naprawiłem twój komputer. B: Naprawdę? ______!

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: Dobra praca

B is praising A for fixing the computer.

🎉 Puntuación: /5

Preguntas frecuentes

10 preguntas

Yes, it is perfectly polite and professional. However, usually, the boss says it to the employee.

No, it's just informal. It's like 'Good job' vs 'Good work'.

Because 'praca' is a feminine noun in Polish.

No, for 'Good luck' you should say 'Powodzenia'.

The plural is 'Dobre prace', but it is rarely used as an exclamation.

You can say 'Bardzo dobra praca'.

Yes, often abbreviated or used with emojis like 👍.

Yes, 'Mam dobrą pracę' means 'I have a good job'.

Yes, coaches say it to players all the time.

Probably 'Doskonałe wykonanie zadania' (Excellent execution of the task).

Frases relacionadas

🔄

Dobra robota

synonym

Good job (informal)

🔗

Świetna praca

builds on

Great work

🔗

Kawał dobrej roboty

specialized form

A hell of a good job

🔗

Zła praca

contrast

Bad work

🔗

Szukać pracy

similar

To look for a job

🔗

Mieć dobrą pracę

similar

To have a good job

Dónde usarla

💼

At the office

Boss: Marek, ten raport jest świetny.

Marek: Dziękuję, szefie.

Boss: Dobra praca!

neutral
🍎

In a classroom

Teacher: Kasiu, twoje wypracowanie jest bardzo ciekawe.

Kasia: Naprawdę?

Teacher: Tak, dobra praca.

neutral
🏋️

At the gym

Trainer: Jeszcze dwa powtórzenia! Dawaj!

Client: Uff, gotowe.

Trainer: Dobra praca, odpocznij chwilę.

informal
🛠️

Home DIY

Wife: Naprawiłeś kran?

Husband: Tak, już nie cieknie.

Wife: Dobra praca, kochanie.

informal
🎨

Art Gallery

Visitor: Ten obraz jest niesamowity.

Artist: Dziękuję, malowałem go miesiąc.

Visitor: Dobra praca, widać talent.

neutral
🍕

Food Delivery

Customer: Dziękuję za szybką dostawę.

Driver: Proszę bardzo, smacznego!

Customer: Dobra praca, miłego dnia.

informal

Memorízalo

Mnemotecnia

Think of 'Dobra' as 'Durable' (good quality) and 'Praca' as 'Practice'. Good practice makes good work!

Asociación visual

Imagine a gold star sticker on a perfectly written Polish essay. The star says 'DOBRA' and the essay is the 'PRACA'.

Rhyme

Dobra praca, to się opłaca! (Good work, it pays off!)

Story

A baker named Danuta makes a 'Dobra' (good) loaf of bread. Her boss sees it and says 'Dobra praca!' because her 'Praca' (work) resulted in a perfect crust.

In Other Languages

Similar to 'Good job' in English, 'Gute Arbeit' in German, and 'Buen trabajo' in Spanish. Most European languages use a 'Good + Noun' structure.

Word Web

pracowaćpracownikpracodawcawypracowaniewspółpracapracowitypracownia

Desafío

Next time you see a Polish person do something helpful (even online), type 'Dobra praca!' in the comments.

Review this phrase on day 1, 3, and 7. Focus on the feminine '-a' ending.

Pronunciación

Stress Penultimate syllable stress (standard for Polish).

Stress on the first syllable 'do'. The 'r' is rolled slightly.

Stress on the first syllable 'pra'. The 'c' is pronounced like 'ts' in 'cats'.

Espectro de formalidad

Formal
Szanowni Państwo, to jest bardzo dobra praca.

Szanowni Państwo, to jest bardzo dobra praca. (Workplace feedback)

Neutral
Dobra praca przy tym projekcie.

Dobra praca przy tym projekcie. (Workplace feedback)

Informal
Dobra robota z tym projektem!

Dobra robota z tym projektem! (Workplace feedback)

Jerga
Aleś to odwalił! Klasa!

Aleś to odwalił! Klasa! (Workplace feedback)

Derived from the Proto-Slavic *pork- (effort, hardship) and *dobrъ (fitting, good).

Old Polish:
19th Century:
Modern Polish:

Dato curioso

The word 'praca' is related to the Russian 'rabota' and the Czech 'práce', all stemming from roots meaning 'labor'.

Notas culturales

Poles value 'rzetelność' (reliability). Saying 'dobra praca' is often seen as a more sincere compliment than 'super' or 'extra' because it acknowledges the actual labor involved.

“Dobra praca, panie mechaniku.”

In modern Polish offices, English terms like 'Good job' or 'Feedback' are often mixed with Polish. However, 'Dobra robota' remains the king of informal office praise.

“Team, dobra robota na tym sprincie!”

Teachers often write 'Dobra praca' or 'Bardzo dobra praca' at the bottom of tests. It corresponds to the grade '4' (dobry) or '5' (bardzo dobry).

“Bardzo dobra praca klasowa.”

On LinkedIn or Facebook, you will see 'Dobra robota!' or 'Gratulacje!' more often than 'Dobra praca!', as 'robota' feels more energetic and 'community-driven'.

“Świetny artykuł, dobra robota!”

Inicios de conversación

“

Jak oceniasz swoją ostatnią pracę w szkole?

“

Co to znaczy dla Ciebie 'dobra praca'?

“

Czy szef często mówi Ci 'dobra robota'?

Errores comunes

✗

Dobry praca

✓

Dobra praca

wrong conjugation
'Praca' is a feminine noun, so the adjective must be 'dobra' (feminine), not 'dobry' (masculine).

L1 Interference

0 1
✗

Dobry robot

✓

Dobra robota

literal translation
Learners often confuse 'robota' (work/job) with 'robot' (the machine). 'Dobra robota' is a common idiom, but 'Dobry robot' means 'Good robot'.

L1 Interference

0
✗

Dobra zawód

✓

Dobra praca

wrong context
English speakers use 'job' for both a task and a profession. In Polish, 'zawód' is your profession (e.g., doctor), but you don't say 'Dobra zawód' to mean 'Good job'.

L1 Interference

0
✗

Dobra praca!

✓

Powodzenia!

wrong context
Using 'Dobra praca' before someone starts a task. It should only be used after or during the task. For 'Good luck', use 'Powodzenia'.

L1 Interference

0

In Other Languages

Spanish Very Similar

Buen trabajo

Spanish usually places the adjective before the noun here, just like Polish.

French Very Similar

Bon travail

French uses 'Bon' (masculine) because 'travail' is masculine, whereas Polish uses 'Dobra' (feminine).

German Very Similar

Gute Arbeit

German grammar requires specific adjective endings (Gute) based on the feminine gender of 'Arbeit'.

Japanese Different

お疲れ様 (Otsukaresama)

Japanese focuses on the state of being tired/working hard, while Polish focuses on the quality of the work.

Arabic moderate

عمل جيد (Amal jayyid)

Arabic places the adjective after the noun.

Chinese moderate

做得好 (Zuò dé hǎo)

Focuses on the action of 'doing' rather than the 'work' as a noun.

Korean Different

수고했어 (Sugohaess-eo)

It is a verb-based expression of empathy for the worker's effort.

Portuguese Very Similar

Bom trabalho

Portuguese uses the masculine 'Bom' for 'trabalho'.

Spotted in the Real World

🎬

(2019)

“Dobra praca, Geralt.”

Often said to Geralt after he completes a contract or kills a monster.

📱

(2023)

“Dobra robota, zespół!”

Commonly found in posts celebrating project completions.

Fácil de confundir

dobra praca vs Dobry robot

Sounds like 'Dobra robota' but means 'Good robot'.

Remember that 'robota' (work) ends in 'a', while 'robot' (machine) ends in a consonant.

dobra praca vs Dobra lekcja

Learners might use 'lekcja' (lesson) when they mean 'work' done in school.

'Lekcja' is the class period; 'praca' is the effort you put in.

Preguntas frecuentes (10)

Yes, it is perfectly polite and professional. However, usually, the boss says it to the employee.

usage contexts

No, it's just informal. It's like 'Good job' vs 'Good work'.

usage contexts

Because 'praca' is a feminine noun in Polish.

grammar mechanics

No, for 'Good luck' you should say 'Powodzenia'.

common mistakes

The plural is 'Dobre prace', but it is rarely used as an exclamation.

grammar mechanics

You can say 'Bardzo dobra praca'.

practical tips

Yes, often abbreviated or used with emojis like 👍.

usage contexts

Yes, 'Mam dobrą pracę' means 'I have a good job'.

basic understanding

Yes, coaches say it to players all the time.

usage contexts

Probably 'Doskonałe wykonanie zadania' (Excellent execution of the task).

comparisons

Learning Path

Prerequisites

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