boczek
/ˈbɔ.t͡ʂɛk/masculine
The English word bacon can be translated into Polish as boczek or bekon.
Meaning: cut of meat (noun)
Ways to say it
| Polish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| boczek | /ˈbɔ.t͡ʂɛk/ | masculine |
| bekon | /ˈbɛ.kɔn/ | masculine |
In Polish, both terms refer to bacon, which is a cut of meat.
Which one should you use?
Boczek is the traditional Polish term and often refers to cured pork belly. Bekon is a loanword from English and is commonly used in modern contexts, such as on menus or when referring to specific types of processed bacon strips.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both words are masculine nouns. When expressing a quantity of bacon (for example, using words like "some" or "a kilo of"), the forms change to the genitive case. Boczek becomes boczku, while bekon becomes bekonu.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈbɔ.tʂɛk/. It has 2 syllables, and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- The traditional Polish word boczek is actually a diminutive of the older word bok, which means 'side'.
- In Polish cuisine, boczek is frequently diced and fried until crisp to create skwarki, which are used as a garnish for potatoes or buckwheat.
- In Polish, boczek is a key ingredient in bigos, a traditional hunter's stew that is often simmered for several days.
Examples in context
- Kto chce tęczowego bekonu?Who's up for some rainbow bacon?The sentence is useful for seeing how the form bekon is used in a question.Tatoeba #12710121 by JimiYoru, translation #10350546 by DJ_Saidez
- Ten boczek pachnie bardzo dobrze.This bacon smells very good.
- Kupiłem wczoraj świeży boczek.I bought fresh bacon yesterday.
Example conversation
Tomasz and Małgorzata are deciding what to cook for breakfast.
- TomaszZrobimy rano jajecznicę?Shall we make scrambled eggs in the morning?
- MałgorzataTak, ale tylko z boczkiem.Yes, but only with bacon.
- TomaszMamy jeszcze boczek w lodówce?Do we still have bacon in the fridge?
- MałgorzataTak, wystarczy dla nas dwojga.Yes, there is enough for the two of us.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bacon” translations and entries boczek, bekon, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bekon, boczek, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
