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  What it means

  Literally “to have an appetite/desire,” this phrase means to feel like doing something or to want to do something. It expresses a wish or craving — whether for food, an activity, or an experience. Poles use it constantly in everyday conversation to politely express desire without sounding demanding. It can be followed by an infinitive (mieć ochotę + verb) or a noun in the genitive case (mieć ochotę na coś).

  Vocabulary

  • mieć — to have
  • ochota — desire, appetite, willingness (noun, f.)
  • ochotę — desire (accusative singular of ochota)

  Grammar note

  The noun 'ochota' is feminine and appears here in the accusative case as the direct object of 'mieć.' When specifying what you want, use 'na' + accusative: 'Mam ochotę na kawę' (I feel like coffee). When followed by a verb, use the infinitive: 'Mam ochotę pójść do kina' (I feel like going to the cinema).

  Cultural context

  This is one of the most common, polite ways to express a wish in Polish — softer than 'chcę' (I want). It is neutral in register and appropriate in any social setting, from casual chat to slightly formal contexts. The equivalent in English would be 'I feel like...' or 'I'd like to...'

  Beginner

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