Ways to say it
| Polish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ciąć | /ˈt͡ɕɔɲt͡ɕ/ /ˈt͡ɕɔ̃t͡ɕ/ (Middle, Polish) |
imperfective |
| kroić | /ˈkrɔ.it͡ɕ/ | imperfective |
| przycinać | /pʂɘˈt͡ɕi.nat͡ɕ/ | imperfective |
| przyciąć | /ˈpʂɘ.t͡ɕɔɲt͡ɕ/ | perfective |
ciąć is the general verb for cutting with a blade, including forceful actions like cutting a rope or slashing.
Which one should you use?
Use kroić for cutting something into pieces or slices, such as food. Use przycinać for trimming or pruning, like hair or a hedge. przyciąć is the perfective partner of przycinać, used for a single finished trim.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
ciąć, kroić and przycinać are imperfective and describe an ongoing or repeated action, while przyciąć is perfective and describes a completed one. Prefixes change the meaning: Przeciąć na pół means to cut in half and Odciąć od źródła means to cut off from the source. The act of cutting is cięcie, and krój is the cut of a garment.
How do you pronounce it?
ciąć is one syllable, pronounced /ˈtɕɔɲtɕ/. The vowel is followed by a nasal sound before the final ch.
When do people say it?
To say you want a short haircut, say Chcę obciąć włosy na krótko.
Did you know?
- While kroić means to cut food into slices, it is also the root of the Polish word for 'tailor', krawiec, because their primary job is to cut fabric.
- The word kroić shares a prehistoric root with the English word 'crop', as both derive from the Proto-Indo-European root *krey- meaning to cut.
- The word krój is not just for clothing or bread, but is also used to describe the 'cut' or 'cut of the land' when referring to a specific landscape's shape.
Examples in context
- Jakci go cion kole pasa.When he cut it around the belt.Here cion is a dialect form of the verb, describing a cut made around the belt.
- ciąć łąkęTo cut a meadowciąć łąkę means to cut a meadow, that is to mow it.
- Przeciąłam wstążkę, otwierając nową firmę.I cut the ribbon, opening a new company.
- Muszę ciąć te grube materiały.I need to cut these thick materials.
Example conversation
Agnieszka and Krzysztof are preparing a salad in the kitchen.
- AgnieszkaKrzysztofie, czy potrafisz ciąć warzywa w kostkę?Krzysztof, do you know how to cut vegetables into cubes?
- KrzysztofTak, Agnieszko, pomogę ci z tym.Yes, Agnieszka, I will help you with that.
- AgnieszkaSuper, bo nie lubię ciąć tych twardych marchewek.Great, because I don't like cutting these hard carrots.
- KrzysztofNie martw się, ja to zrobię szybko.Don't worry, I'll do it quickly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cut” translations and entries ciąć, kroić, przycinać, przyciąć, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ciąć, kroić, przycinać, przyciąć, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
