Uh-huh, cept it stays on the screen, it's not just a pop-up dialog box.
Go to Display->HeadsUpDisplay->PolyCount.
Faces is the number of polygons, Tris is the number of triangles that would be after they're all divided (like they need to be for certain other applications, games, RealFlow, etc, etc)
Similarly, you can just type "polyEvaluate -f " without the quotation marks into the command line at the bottom left of the screen.
well if you are coming from max the terms are different.
for instance Hypershade, material editor. Stack/ Input, Edit Mesh Edit Poly. Splines Nurbs curve!
if you need to translate something you should probibly find a max to maya (or what ever package your started in) dictionary ^^; its a lot easier to find things
Good Tip is create your own Shelf (Menu) and add any little tools u use lots. to add standard tools press ctrl and shift then choose the tool for the toolbar or drg it from the last tool used box under the manipulators.
I hav attached my shelf for anyone who want to look at it.