zwierzę
/ˈzvjɛ.ʐɛ/neuter
The English word animal is translated into Polish as zwierzę.
zwierzę refers to any organism that is not a human.
Meaning: organism other than human (noun)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
As a neuter noun, zwierzę changes its form depending on its role in a sentence. The plural nominative form is zwierzęta. In the singular, it becomes zwierzęcia in the genitive case, which is used to show possession or after many prepositions. The instrumental singular form is zwierzęciem, often used after the preposition z (with) or to describe a state. The related adjective zwierzęcy must agree with the noun it modifies. For example, zwierzęcą is the feminine accusative singular form.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈzvjɛ.ʐɛ/. It has 2 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- In Polish, calling someone a zwierzę is a common way to describe a person who is cruel, uncivilized or lacks basic manners.
- While zwierzę is a neuter noun, the specific names of most animals in Polish are assigned masculine or feminine genders, regardless of the biological sex of the creature.
- The word zwierzę can be used as a compliment for an athlete to describe someone with an incredible, almost inhuman level of physical strength or endurance.
Examples in context
- Znam nazwę tego zwierzęcia.I know the name of this animal.This sentence is useful for practicing the genitive singular form zwierzęcia.Tatoeba #352189 by zipangu, translation #254601 by CK
- Jeż jest małym zwierzęciem.The hedgehog is a small animal.This sentence shows how to use the instrumental singular form zwierzęciem.Tatoeba #6483087 by mojeanin, translation #803658 by Eldad
- To zwierzę żywi się mięsem.This animal feeds on flesh.This sentence shows the use of the nominative singular form zwierzę.Tatoeba #10541497 by tokzyk, translation #2079226 by AlanF_US
- W zoo można zobaczyć wiele różnych zwierząt.At the zoo, you can see many different animals.
- Mój pies to wspaniały zwierz.My dog is a wonderful animal.
- Kasia ma dwa urocze zwierzaki, kotkę i szczeniaczka.Kasia has two adorable pets, a kitten and a puppy.
- 34 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Piotr and Anna are looking at a picture book about nature.
- PiotrTo jest bardzo rzadkie zwierzę.This is a very rare animal.
- AnnaCzy to zwierzę jest groźne?Is this animal dangerous?
- PiotrNie, to łagodne zwierzę.No, it is a gentle animal.
- AnnaCieszę się, że to małe zwierzę jest miłe.I am glad that this little animal is nice.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “animal” translations and entries zwierzę, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
