Family Members in Polish
The basic Polish family words are mama (mum), tata (dad), brat (brother), siostra (sister), babcia (grandma) and dziadek (grandpa). To say "my brother", say "mój brat"; "my sister" is "moja siostra".
Immediate family
The word for family is rodzina. These are the core words. Note that rodzice (parents) and rodzeństwo (siblings) each cover a whole group, and that dziecko has the irregular plural dzieci.
| Polish | English | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| rodzina | family | roh-JEE-nah |
| rodzice | parents | roh-JEE-tseh |
| matka | mother | MAHT-kah |
| ojciec | father | OY-chets |
| syn | son | SIN |
| córka | daughter | TSOOR-kah |
| dziecko | child | JETS-koh |
| dzieci | children | JEH-chee |
| brat | brother | BRAHT |
| siostra | sister | SHOS-trah |
| rodzeństwo | siblings | roh-JEN-stfoh |
| mąż | husband | MONSH |
| żona | wife | ZHOH-nah |
| jedynak / jedynaczka | only child (boy / girl) | yeh-DIH-nahk / yeh-dih-NAHCH-kah |
To say older or younger, put starszy or młodszy in front: starszy brat (older brother), młodsza siostra (younger sister). The ending matches the gender of the noun.
Informal words: mama, tata, babcia, dziadek
In everyday speech Poles say mama and tata, not matka and ojciec. Adults use them too, about their own parents and about other people's: Twoja mama dzwoniła (Your mum called). Matka and ojciec are correct but sound more formal, and in conversation they can sound cold. The same goes for grandparents: babcia and dziadek are the normal words.
| Polish | English | Say it | Calling them |
|---|---|---|---|
| mama | mum, mom | MAH-mah | Mamo! |
| tata | dad | TAH-tah | Tato! |
| mamusia | mummy (very affectionate) | mah-MOO-shah | Mamusiu! |
| tatuś | daddy (very affectionate) | TAH-toosh | Tatusiu! |
| babcia | grandma | BAHP-chah | Babciu! |
| dziadek | grandpa | JAH-dek | Dziadku! |
| ciocia | auntie | CHOH-chah | Ciociu! |
| wujek | uncle | VOO-yek | Wujku! |
The last column is the vocative case, the form you use when you speak directly to someone. A child calls Mamo! or Tato! (in relaxed speech you will also hear Mama!), and writes a birthday card starting Kochana Babciu (Dear Grandma). Small children also call their parents' close friends ciocia and wujek, even when they are not related.
Grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins
| Polish | English | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| dziadkowie | grandparents | jaht-KOH-vyeh |
| babcia | grandmother | BAHP-chah |
| dziadek | grandfather | JAH-dek |
| wnuk | grandson | VNOOK |
| wnuczka | granddaughter | VNOOCH-kah |
| wnuki | grandchildren | VNOO-kee |
| prababcia | great-grandmother | prah-BAHP-chah |
| pradziadek | great-grandfather | prah-JAH-dek |
| ciotka / ciocia | aunt | CHOT-kah / CHOH-chah |
| wujek | uncle | VOO-yek |
| kuzyn | cousin (male) | KOO-zin |
| kuzynka | cousin (female) | koo-ZIN-kah |
| bratanek / bratanica | nephew / niece (brother's son / daughter) | brah-TAH-nek / brah-tah-NEE-tsah |
| siostrzeniec / siostrzenica | nephew / niece (sister's son / daughter) | shos-TSHEH-nyets / shos-tsheh-NEE-tsah |
Polish has two words each for nephew and niece, depending on whether the child belongs to your brother or your sister. Wujek is used today for any uncle. Older Polish had stryj for a father's brother and wuj for a mother's brother, and you may still meet these words in books and in some families.
In-laws: teść, teściowa, szwagier
Polish has short, everyday words for relatives by marriage, where English needs "in-law". Your spouse's parents are your teściowie. Your parents call the person you married zięć (son-in-law) or synowa (daughter-in-law).
| Polish | English | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| teść | father-in-law | TESHCH |
| teściowa | mother-in-law | tesh-CHOH-vah |
| teściowie | parents-in-law | tesh-CHOH-vyeh |
| zięć | son-in-law | ZHYENCH |
| synowa | daughter-in-law | sih-NOH-vah |
| szwagier | brother-in-law | SHFAH-gyer |
| szwagierka | sister-in-law | shfah-GYER-kah |
| bratowa | brother's wife | brah-TOH-vah |
Szwagier is your sister's husband or your spouse's brother. Szwagierka is your spouse's sister, and in casual speech also your brother's wife, although the precise word for that is bratowa. In conversation, many people simply say mój teść, moja teściowa, and use first names when talking to them.
Step-family, godparents and partners
| Polish | English | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| ojczym | stepfather | OY-chim |
| macocha | stepmother | mah-TSOH-hah |
| pasierb / pasierbica | stepson / stepdaughter | PAH-shyerp / pah-shyer-BEE-tsah |
| przyrodni brat | half-brother, stepbrother | pshih-ROD-nee BRAHT |
| przyrodnia siostra | half-sister, stepsister | pshih-ROD-nyah SHOS-trah |
| ojciec chrzestny | godfather | OY-chets HSHEST-nih |
| matka chrzestna | godmother | MAHT-kah HSHEST-nah |
| narzeczony / narzeczona | fiancé / fiancée | nah-zheh-CHOH-nih / nah-zheh-CHOH-nah |
| chłopak | boyfriend | HWOH-pahk |
| dziewczyna | girlfriend | jef-CHIH-nah |
| partner / partnerka | partner | PART-ner / part-NER-kah |
| były mąż / była żona | ex-husband / ex-wife | BIH-wih MONSH / BIH-wah ZHOH-nah |
Macocha carries the "wicked stepmother" image of fairy tales, so in real life people often avoid it and say żona taty (dad's wife). Godparents matter in Polish families, and in speech they are often shortened to chrzestny and chrzestna.
How to say "my brother": possessives
"My" in Polish changes to match the noun it goes with, not the person speaking. So a woman and a man both say mój brat and moja siostra. In the plural there are two forms: one for groups that include a man (moi bracia, moi rodzice), and one for all other groups (moje siostry, moje dzieci).
| English | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural with men | Other plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| my | mój brat | moja siostra | moje dziecko | moi bracia | moje siostry |
| your (one person) | twój brat | twoja siostra | twoje dziecko | twoi bracia | twoje siostry |
| his | jego brat | jego siostra | jego dziecko | jego bracia | jego siostry |
| her | jej brat | jej siostra | jej dziecko | jej bracia | jej siostry |
| our | nasz brat | nasza siostra | nasze dziecko | nasi bracia | nasze siostry |
| your (several people) | wasz brat | wasza siostra | wasze dziecko | wasi bracia | wasze siostry |
| their | ich brat | ich siostra | ich dziecko | ich bracia | ich siostry |
Jego, jej and ich never change. The others also change for case: Dzwonię do mojej mamy (I'm calling my mum), Rozmawiam z moim bratem (I'm talking to my brother).
Two habits make your Polish sound natural. First, Poles often leave out "my" when it is obvious: Jadę do mamy means "I'm going to my mum's". Second, when the owner is the subject of the sentence, Polish prefers swój: Kocham swoją siostrę (I love my sister). Kocham moją siostrę is also heard and understood, so do not worry about it as a beginner.
Talking about your family: useful sentences
The verb mieć (to have) puts the family member in the accusative: mam brata, mam siostrę, mam syna i córkę. After nie mam the noun goes into the genitive: nie mam brata, nie mam siostry. Numbers also change the noun: dwie siostry, but dwóch braci, and children are counted with special numbers: dwoje dzieci, troje dzieci.
- To jest mój brat, Tomek.This is my brother, Tomek.
- To moja żona, Kasia.This is my wife, Kasia.
- Czy masz rodzeństwo?Do you have any brothers or sisters?
- Mam starszego brata i młodszą siostrę.I have an older brother and a younger sister.
- Nie mam rodzeństwa. Jestem jedynakiem.I don't have any siblings. I'm an only child. (man)
- Jestem jedynaczką.I'm an only child. (woman)
- Mam dwóch braci i dwie siostry.I have two brothers and two sisters.
- Mamy troje dzieci: dwóch synów i córkę.We have three children: two sons and a daughter.
- Jak ma na imię twoja siostra?What's your sister's name?
- Moja siostra ma na imię Ania.My sister's name is Ania.
- Mój dziadek ma osiemdziesiąt lat.My grandfather is eighty.
- Mieszkam z rodzicami.I live with my parents.
- W niedzielę jedziemy do teściów na obiad.On Sunday we're going to my in-laws' for lunch.
- Jesteśmy małżeństwem od dziesięciu lat.We've been married for ten years.