uspokajać się
/u.spɔˈka.jat͡ɕ ɕɛ/word by wordimperfective
To calm down in Polish is to say uspokajać się. Wiktionary also lists uspokoić się.
Meaning: To become less excited (verb)
Ways to say it
| Polish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| uspokajać się | /u.spɔˈka.jat͡ɕ ɕɛ/ (word by word) | imperfective |
| uspokoić się | /u.spɔˈkɔ.it͡ɕ ɕɛ/ (word by word) | perfective |
The verb is used to describe the act of becoming less excited.
What does it mean word for word?
The verb uspokajać się literally means to calm oneself down.
Which one should you use?
The imperfective form uspokajać się is used to describe the ongoing process of calming down. In contrast, the perfective form uspokoić się is used to describe the completed state of having calmed down.
How does it change in a sentence?
To tell someone to calm down, you can use the imperative form uspokój się. If you are addressing a group of people, use the plural imperative form uspokójcie się.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /u.spɔˈka.jatɕ ɕɛ/. It has 4 syllables, and the stress is on the 3rd syllable.
Did you know?
- While 'calm down' can be a command, using the imperative uspokój się to a stranger in Poland might sound unintentionally condescending or aggressive depending on your tone.
- Because uspokajać się is reflexive, saying it without the się would change the meaning from 'to calm oneself' to 'to calm something else', such as an animal or a child.
- The root of the verb uspokajać się is the word spokój, which means 'peace'.
Examples in context
- Proszę się uspokoić. Pracujemy nad rozwiązaniem Pańskiego problemu.Please calm down. We are working on resolving your issue.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “calm down” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (uspokajać, się, uspokoić) and can differ in connected speech.
