zajęty
/zaˈjɛn.tɘ/
The English word 'busy' is translated into Polish as zajęty.
The word is used to describe someone who is engaged or preoccupied. When specifying what someone is busy with, such as a task or work, Polish typically uses the instrumental case of the noun (for example, zajęty pracą for 'busy with work') rather than using a preposition like 'with'. To describe a fast-paced, busy lifestyle, you can use the phrase Żyję w biegu, which means 'I live on the go'. If you want to say you are extremely busy, the informal expression Mam pełne ręce roboty (I have my hands full) is common. For a more playful and informal way to say you are busy, you can use Zajęty jak pszczółka, which literally means 'busy as a little bee'.
Meaning: engaged or preoccupied (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word zajęty is the past participle of the verb zająć, which means 'to take up' or 'to occupy' space or time. It literally means 'occupied' or 'taken'.
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, the form changes to match the gender and number of the subject. Use zajęty for masculine singular subjects, zajęta for feminine subjects or feminine nouns and zajęte for neuter nouns or plural groups of people and things.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has three syllables and the stress is on the second syllable. The IPA pronunciation is /zaˈjɛn.tɘ/.
Did you know?
- The word zajęty shares a common Proto-Indo-European ancestor with the English word 'get', reflecting the core idea of 'taking' or 'seizing' something.
- In a Polish bathroom or changing room, you will often see a sign saying zajęte on the door to indicate that the room is occupied.
- The word zajęty can also mean 'captured' or 'seized', such as when a territory is taken over in a conflict.
Examples in context
- Wiem, że był zajęty.I know that he was busy.This sentence shows how to use zajęty to state that someone was busy.Tatoeba #933407 by zipangu, translation #284179 by CK
- Tom nie jest zajęty.Tom isn't busy.This sentence uses zajęty to express that Tom is not busy.Tatoeba #10584650 by tokzyk, translation #2046664 by CK
- Sami był zajęty pracą.Sami was busy at work.This sentence demonstrates using the instrumental case to say someone was busy with work using zajęty.Tatoeba #6371483 by mojeanin, translation #6319788 by OsoHombre
- Jestem bardzo zajęty/aI am very busy
- 154 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Tomasz calls Agnieszka to ask for a favor.
- TomaszCześć Agnieszka, jesteś teraz zajęty?Hi Agnieszka, are you busy now?
- AgnieszkaTak, jestem bardzo zajęta.Yes, I am very busy.
- TomaszPrzepraszam, zadzwonię później.Sorry, I will call later.
- AgnieszkaDobrze, do usłyszenia!Okay, talk to you later!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “busy” translations and entries zajęty, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries zajęty, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
