Ways to say it
| Polish | IPA |
|---|---|
| dużo | /ˈdu.ʐɔ/ /ˈdu.ʐɔ/ (Middle, Polish) |
| wiele | /ˈvjɛ.lɛ/ /ˈvjɛ.lɛ/ (Middle, Polish) |
Both words are used to express large quantities or high degrees. You can also use them as pronouns to mean 'a large amount' of something, or combined with other words to mean 'many things'.
Which one should you use?
While both mean 'a lot', dużo is the more common, everyday word used for both countable and uncountable quantities. In contrast, wiele is typically used for countable nouns and often carries a slightly more formal or literary tone than dużo.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When used as an adverb meaning 'very much', dużo does not change its form regardless of the subject or tense.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ˈdu.ʐɔ/. It has 2 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid trying to decline dużo like an adjective. As an adverb or an indeclinable quantifier, it remains dużo in most common structures.
Did you know?
- In casual speech, Poles often avoid dużo or wiele by using the word mnóstwo, which literally means 'a multitude' or 'a hoard'.
- The word dużo first appeared in written records around 1588, making it a relatively late addition compared to the older wiele.
- Poles may express 'a lot' through the phrase cała masa, which literally translates to 'a whole mass'.
Examples in context
- Dużo o niej mówi.He talks about her a lot.This sentence shows how to use dużo as an adverb.Tatoeba #7960528 by arie, translation #3342417 by Hybrid
- Ma pan dużo czasu?Do you have a lot of time?This sentence demonstrates using dużo to ask about a quantity of time.Tatoeba #903391 by zipangu, translation #69902 by CK
- Ona ma dużo ubrań.She has a lot of clothes.This sentence shows dużo being used with a plural noun to indicate a large quantity of items.Tatoeba #6700989 by mojeanin, translation #14001297 by araneo
- W uwagach otrzymałem bardzo dużo cennych wskazówek od mojego przełożonego.In the feedback, I received a lot of valuable pointers from my supervisor.
- W tym sklepie jest mnóstwo przecenionych ubrań!There are a whole lot of discounted clothes in this store!
- 307 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Paweł and Agnieszka are talking about a movie they just watched.
- PawełPodobał ci się ten film?Did you like that movie?
- AgnieszkaTak, bardzo mi się podobał, dużo mnie wzruszył.Yes, I liked it very much, it moved me a lot.
- PawełJa też dużo myślałem o zakończeniu.I also thought a lot about the ending.
- AgnieszkaTo było naprawdę niesamowite.It was truly amazing.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “a lot” translations and entries dużo, wiele, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dużo, wiele, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
