Ways to say it
| Polish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| cholera! | ||
| do diabła! | ||
| psiakrew! | ||
| kurna chata | /ˈkur.na ˈxa.ta/ | |
| do licha | /dɔ‿ˈli.xa/ | |
| kurde | /ˈkur.dɛ/ | masculine |
| psiamać | /pɕaˈmat͡ɕ/ | feminine |
| holender | /xɔˈlɛn.dɛr/ | masculine |
These expressions are used to convey frustration, contempt or annoyance. While some terms like cholera! literally refer to a disease or a devil, they function as non-vulgar interjections in a social context. For those seeking to intensify an adjective, the word cholerny acts as a generic intensifier similar to 'damn' or 'bloody' in English.
What does it mean word for word?
The literal meanings of these expressions provide context for their usage: do diabła! means 'to the devil'. psiakrew! is a compound of the words for 'dog' and 'blood' (dog's blood). And cholera! literally refers to the infectious disease cholera.
Which one should you use?
The expressions vary in their force and tone. kurde is a mild, colloquial euphemism used to avoid stronger profanity. In contrast, cholera! is more forceful and carries a slightly higher level of vulgarity than kurde. The phrase do licha serves as a more polite or slightly archaic alternative to do diabła!
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Most of these terms are informal. kurde is a mild euphemism, whereas cholera! is a common but more forceful exclamation. In a theological context, the verbs przeklinać or przekląć are used to mean 'to condemn'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
do licha is used as a polite or archaic way to express frustration.
When do people say it?
In Polish, one might use cholera! as a milder alternative to the much stronger swear word kurwa, which is frequently used to mean 'damn' or 'fuck'.
Did you know?
- The expression holender is used as a mild expletive, but it literally translates to 'a Dutchman'.
- The phrase do licha replaces the 'devil' with licho, a spirit from Slavic mythology that caused bad luck and mischief.
- While cholera! is a common exclamation of frustration, its usage is linked to the devastating cholera epidemics that hit Poland in the 19th century.
Examples in context
- Cholera! Nie jest źle!Damn! It's not bad!This sentence shows how to use cholera! as an exclamation of frustration.Tatoeba #600734 by buari, translation #1572 by AlanF_US
- Cholera, spóźniłem się na autobus!Damn it, I missed the bus!
- Do licha, ten komputer nie działa!Damn it, this computer isn't working!
Example conversation
Katarzyna and Tomasz are looking for a lost document.
- KatarzynaCholera! Nie mogę go nigdzie znaleźć.Damn! I can't find it anywhere.
- TomaszSpokojnie, pewnie leży na biurku.Calm down, it's probably lying on the desk.
- KatarzynaNie ma go tutaj, Tomasz.It is not here, Tomasz.
- TomaszJuż go widzę, jest pod gazetą.I see it now, it's under the newspaper.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “damn” translations and entries kurna chata, do licha, kurde, psiamać, holender, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
