kraj
/ˈkraj/inanimate, masculine
The English word "country" can be translated into Polish as kraj or państwo.
Meaning: nation state (noun)
Ways to say it
| Polish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| kraj | /ˈkraj/ /krɒj/ (Middle, Polish) |
inanimate, masculine |
| państwo | /ˈpaɲ.stfɔ/ /ˈpaɲ.stfɔ/ (Middle, Polish) |
neuter |
The word is used to refer to a nation state.
Which one should you use?
Use kraj when you are referring to a country as a geographical area, a land or a nation's territory. In contrast, use państwo when referring to a country in its capacity as a political and legal institution (the State).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some areas, kraina may be used instead of kraj to mean "country".
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkraj/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use kraj to mean "the countryside". Instead, use the adjective wiejski or the noun wieś for rural areas.
Did you know?
- In Polish, the word for 'state' państwo can also refer to a 'married couple' when used in certain contexts, such as państwo Nowak for 'Mr. and Mrs. Nowak'.
- The root of kraj is related to the verb 'to cut' or 'to divide'. This suggests the historical concept of a 'country' was a piece of land that had been 'cut out' or demarcated.
- The term kraina is often used in Polish to describe a romanticized or mythical land, such as kraina czarów for 'wonderland'.
Examples in context
- Polska to duży kraj.Poland is a big country.This sentence is useful for demonstrating the use of kraj.Tatoeba #5229065 by Tomash, translation #920284 by CN
- Cały kraj o tym mówi.The whole country talks about it.Tatoeba #2378410 by Piteris, translation #2378413 by Piteris
- To jest cudowny kraj.It's a lovely country.Tatoeba #5961818 by stagos, translation #5961616 by mailohilohi
- To jest piękne państwo.This is a beautiful country.
- Chciałbym zwiedzić ten kraj.I would like to visit this country.
- Jaki jest twój ulubiony kraj?What is your favorite country?
- Wybieram się do pięknego kraju o nazwie Polska.I'm going to a beautiful country called Poland.
- Czym różni się państwo od prowincji?What is the difference between a country and a province?
- 123 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Agnieszka and Tomasz are discussing their travel plans.
- AgnieszkaChcę odwiedzić ten kraj w przyszłym roku.I want to visit this country next year.
- TomaszTo będzie bardzo ciekawa podróż.It will be a very interesting trip.
- AgnieszkaCzy znasz ten kraj dobrze?Do you know this country well?
- TomaszNie, ale bardzo chcę go poznać.No, but I really want to get to know it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “country” translations and entries kraj, państwo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries kraj, państwo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
