ser
/ˈsɛr/masculine
The Polish word for cheese is ser.
ser refers to the dairy product. It can also be used as an interjection, alongside the word for smile, to signal someone to say 'cheese' while being photographed.
Meaning: dairy product (noun)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The form sera is used after negation, such as in nie ma sera (there is no cheese).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈsɛr/
When do people say it?
When having a photo taken, speakers may say ser or uśmiech to encourage people to smile for the camera.
Did you know?
- In Polish, the word ser is a doublet of the word żur, which refers to a traditional fermented rye soup.
- While ser is the general word for cheese, Poles use the word twaróg specifically for white curd cheese, which is a staple of the national diet.
- The word ser descends from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to strain' or 'to press', referring to the process of making the cheese.
Examples in context
- Tom nie lubi sera.Tom doesn't like cheese.This sentence shows how to express a dislike for the noun ser.Tatoeba #567001 by Bilberry, translation #37243 by CK
- Nie ma więcej sera.There is no more cheese left.This sentence demonstrates the use of the genitive form sera after the negation 'nie ma'.Tatoeba #12360002 by arie, translation #5878893 by CK
- Mój kot uwielbia ser.My cat loves cheese.This sentence shows how to express a fondness for the noun ser.Tatoeba #6729193 by arie, translation #6729064 by Eccles17
- 30 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Małgorzata and Piotr are preparing a snack together.
- MałgorzataCzy chcesz dodać ser do kanapek?Do you want to add cheese to the sandwiches?
- PiotrTak, poproszę dużo sera.Yes, I'd like a lot of cheese, please.
- MałgorzataJaki ser wolisz, żółty czy biały?Which cheese do you prefer, yellow or white?
- PiotrWybiorę żółty ser.I will choose yellow cheese.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cheese” translations and entries ser, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ser, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
