notatki

Notatki are brief written records used to capture information, reminders, or annotations. The word is the plural of notatka, derived from notować (“to note”), which in turn comes from nota, a Latin loanword meaning “mark” or “note.” Notatki are created in many contexts and take various forms, from simple shopping lists and reminders to more extended summaries or marginalia.

Typically they serve organizational, pedagogical, or documentary purposes. In everyday life, notatki help remember tasks, deadlines, or ideas. In education, students write notatki z wykładu or notatki z lektury to condense lectures and readings. In research or professional settings, notatki can include summaries of meetings, ideas, or observations, and there are specific varieties such as notatki laboratoryjne (laboratory notes) or notatki służbowe (internal memos). When more formal records are required, the term protokół or minuta is used for minutes, but notatki remain common for informal notes and quick references.

The form of notatki ranges from handwriting on paper to digital notes stored in notes apps, documents, or databases. Digital notatki often support features such as searchability, tagging, and cross-referencing, which increases their usefulness for study and work.

In Polish, notatki can also be used metaphorically to refer to brief observations or comments on a topic, and the word is widely used across media, education, and administration.