klaun
/ˈklawn/masculine
The Polish word for clown is klaun. Wiktionary also lists błazen.
Meaning: performance artist working in a circus (noun)
Ways to say it
| Polish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| klaun | /ˈklawn/ | masculine |
| błazen | /ˈbwa.zɛn/ /ˈbɫɒ.zɛn/ (Middle, Polish) |
masculine |
The term is used to describe a performance artist working in a circus. The word błazen can also refer to a historical court jester or a person who acts foolishly.
Which one should you use?
In contrast, błazen refers to a fool, a jester or can be used as an insult to describe someone acting foolishly or to mock their intelligence.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the phrase 'to consider someone a clown' (uznać kogoś za…), the word błazen changes to the accusative form błazna.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈklawn/
Did you know?
- In historical Polish court contexts, the błazen was often the only person permitted to criticize the King openly, using humor as a shield to speak truths that would be treasonous for anyone else.
- While klaun is a loanword from English, the native Polish word błazen is rooted in the Proto-Slavic word *blaznь, which originally described a person who was mentally unstable or confused.
- Polish writers often use the term błazeństwo to describe an absurd or farcical situation, extending the meaning of the court jester into a general description of societal chaos.
Examples in context
- Klaun!Clown!This example shows the exclamation klaun.Tatoeba #12201676 by polski_ren, translation #7532035 by shekitten
- Tom to błazen.Tom is a clown.This example uses the word błazen to describe a person.Tatoeba #6769209 by arie, translation #6769162 by Hybrid
- uznać kogoś za błaznaTo consider/fine someone a clownThis example demonstrates the use of the accusative form błazna.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is walking past a circus poster.
- MałgorzataWidzisz tego klauna na plakacie?Do you see that clown on the poster?
- PawełTak, wygląda na bardzo zabawnego.Yes, he looks very funny.
- MałgorzataChciałbyś pójść na cyrk, Pawle?Would you like to go to the circus, Paweł?
- PawełChętnie pójdę z tobą, Małgorzato.I would love to go with you, Małgorzata.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “clown” translations and entries klaun, błazen, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries błazen, klaun, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
