cholera
/xɔˈlɛ.ra/
The Polish way to say dammit is cholera.
cholera is used as an exclamation to express anger or disappointment.
Meaning: expression of anger or disappointment (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, cholera means the disease cholera.
Which one should you use?
To express more intense anger, one might use the phrase cholera jasna.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
cholera is considered a colloquialism and a mild swear word. It is not appropriate for formal settings. If you want a milder and more socially acceptable way to express frustration, similar to 'darn it' or 'shoot' in English, you can use Kurczę!
How do you pronounce it?
The word consists of 3 syllables, with the stress on the second syllable. The IPA is /xɔˈlɛ.ra/.
Did you know?
- The word kurczę, used as a polite alternative to cholera, literally means 'chicken'.
- Polish has a wide range of 'euphemisms' for cholera that mimic its sound, such as kolera or choleryka, to avoid saying the full word in polite company.
- The term cholera entered the Polish language from the Latin word 'cholera', which originally referred to 'bile'. This is why the word is linked to both a deadly disease and bodily functions.
Examples in context
- Do diabła z tym!To hell with it!
- Cholera, znowu spóźniłem się na autobus.Dammit, I missed the bus again.
- Ach, cholera, to bardzo trudne.Ah, dammit, this is very difficult.
Example conversation
Anna and Tomasz are trying to assemble a piece of furniture.
- AnnaCholera, ta śrubka nie pasuje!Dammit, this screw doesn't fit!
- TomaszSpokojnie, Anna, spróbujmy jeszcze raz.Calm down, Anna, let's try one more time.
- AnnaNie mogę, to jest zbyt frustrujące.I can't, this is too frustrating.
- TomaszPomogę ci z tym, nie martw się.I will help you with this, don't worry.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry cholera, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cholera, CC BY-SA 4.0.
