A friendly guide to a very emotional phrase you won’t hear in Oslo trams
🎬 Scene: rush hour on a tram in Kraków
There’s a guy blasting techno from his phone, a woman pushing her way through the crowd, someone stepping on someone else’s foot without saying a word. And then—
“Trochę kultury!”
(Pronounced: [TROH-heh kool-TOO-ree])
It’s sharp. It’s sudden. It feels like a slap… but it’s only made of words.
So, what does it mean? Why do Poles say it with such flair? And why is it so hard to say the same thing in Norwegian?
Let’s dive in.
❓ What does “Trochę kultury!” actually mean?
Literally, it means “A bit of culture!”
But nobody is asking for a Beethoven sonata or an art exhibit.
When a Pole says this, they mean:
- Stop being rude.
- Show some respect.
- Don’t act like a wild boar in IKEA.
It’s an emotional shortcut to say:
“Act like a decent human being.”
It’s used in everyday situations:
- Someone cuts the line at the bakery.
- A teenager swears loudly in public.
- Your date starts eating before you even sit down.
That’s when a Polish voice rises and goes:
“Trochę kultury!”
With just the right amount of judgment in the eyes.
🇳🇴 Can you say this in Norwegian?
Well… not really.
In Norwegian, the word “kultur” usually refers to:
- the arts (theatre, music, culture events),
- or social identity (work culture, youth culture).
But if you tell someone in Norway:
“Litt kultur, takk!”
…they’ll probably think you’re inviting them to a jazz concert.
✅ What do Norwegians say instead?
They have their own, softer ways to correct bad behavior:
| 🇵🇱 Polish | 🇳🇴 Norwegian | Meaning |
| Trochę kultury! | Vis litt folkeskikk! | Show some manners |
| Nie masz kultury?! | Har du ingen manerer? | Have you no manners? |
| Ludzie, kultura! | Folkens, litt folkeskikk! | Come on, folks! Be civil |
Norwegians tend to avoid confrontation. Instead of snapping, they might say:
“Det var ikke særlig hyggelig.”
(“That wasn’t very nice.”)
Which sounds almost… soothing.
And how about in English?
English speakers also don’t really shout “A bit of culture!”
But we do have equivalents, depending on tone:
| 🇵🇱 Polish | 🇬🇧 English | Tone |
| Trochę kultury! | Show some manners! | Direct, a bit sharp |
| Można prosić o kulturę? | Let’s keep it civil, shall we? | Gentle, ironic |
| Nie masz kultury?! | Where are your manners? | Passive-aggressive |
The spirit is the same: a little social push toward behaving better. But it rarely comes with as much drama as the Polish version.
Real-life situations
- On public transport:
Someone sneezes without covering their mouth. In Poland:
“Trochę kultury, panie!”
In English:
“Seriously? Some manners, please.” - At dinner:
Someone grabs food before everyone is seated.
Polish grandma: “Trochę kultury, złociutki.”
English aunt: “Wait your turn, darling.” - In an online argument:
One comment too many and boom —
“Trochę kultury w tej dyskusji!”
Or, in the Queen’s English:
“Let’s bring the tone down a notch, shall we?”
💡 Cultural takeaway:
“Trochę kultury!” isn’t just about behavior.
It’s about how much Poles care about dignity, respect and shared public space. It’s a spontaneous protest against the decline of manners. It says:
We still believe in common decency — don’t ruin it.
Norwegians may not say it out loud, but they also care. They just express it differently: calmly, subtly, with a polite smile and a slight shift in body language.
📚 Language learners, take note:
- Don’t translate “Trochę kultury!” word-for-word.
- Instead, learn the spirit behind it: standing up (politely or not) for social order.
- And when in Norway? Try “Vis litt folkeskikk” — if you’re feeling brave 😉
✨ Final thought:
Some languages whisper.
Some lecture.
Polish sometimes yells. But only because it cares.
So the next time you hear “Trochę kultury!” in a tram, don’t be offended.
You’re witnessing a cultural classic in action.
And maybe… it’s not a bad reminder for us all.
