przez
/ˈpʂɛs/
The English phrase 'by' is translated into Polish as przez.
While przez indicates an agent in a passive construction (by), it is also used to mean 'through' a physical space or 'by means of' a method.
Meaning: indicates a means (prep)
How does it change in a sentence?
The preposition przez always requires the noun or pronoun following it to be in the accusative case.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈpʂɛs/
Did you know?
- When expressing 'by' as in 'by the way', Polish does not use przez. Instead, it uses the phrase swoją drogą, which literally means 'my own road'.
- Depending on the context, przez can take on a negative connotation, implying that someone is the cause of a problem. Saying przez ciebie often translates to 'because of you' in a blaming sense.
- In Polish, przez can imply a duration of time, such as przez godzinę meaning 'for an hour'. This differs from English, where 'by' usually indicates a deadline rather than a length of time.
Examples in context
- Co ona przez to rozumie?What does she mean by that?This sentence shows how to use przez when asking what someone means.Tatoeba #10624150 by tokzyk, translation #8893030 by sundown
- Była przez niego upokorzona.She was humiliated by him.This sentence uses przez to indicate the agent in a passive construction.Tatoeba #4229839 by jeedrek, translation #887549 by CK
- Była przez niego wychowywana.She was brought up by him.Tatoeba #4229835 by jeedrek, translation #887547 by CK
- Zorganizuj spotkanie przez telefon.Organize the meeting by phone.
- Zapłać za towar przez konto.Pay for the goods by bank transfer.
- Chodzę na uczelnię by zdobyć nowe umiejętności.I go to university to acquire new skills.
- Zamówmy jedzenie przez aplikację.Let's order food by using the app.
- Przejdź przez park by dotrzeć do biblioteki.Walk through the park to reach the library.
- 176 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Krzysztof and Katarzyna are discussing a book written by a famous author.
- KrzysztofKto napisał tę książkę?Who wrote this book?
- KatarzynaZostała napisana przez znanego autora.It was written by a famous author.
- KrzysztofCzy polecasz go innym?Do you recommend him to others?
- KatarzynaTak, każda książka przez niego stworzona jest świetna.Yes, every book created by him is great.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry przez, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
