deser
/ˈdɛ.sɛr/masculine
The English word "dessert" is translated into Polish as deser.
deser refers to a sweet confection served as the last course of a meal. In informal situations, you might hear the phrase Coś słodkiego, which means "something sweet" and is used to express a desire for dessert.
Meaning: sweet confection served as the last course of a meal (noun)
Which one should you use?
While deser is the standard term, the diminutive form deserek is an affectionate way to refer to dessert among close circles.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the word changes depending on whether the sentence is affirmative or negative. In affirmative sentences, such as when using the verb "to eat" (jeść), the accusative form deser is used. However, after a negation, the word changes to the genitive form deseru, as seen in the phrase nie je deseru (does not eat dessert).
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables, and the stress is on the first syllable: /ˈdɛ.sɛr/.
Did you know?
- The Polish word deser is a cognate of the French word 'dessert', which itself comes from the French verb 'desservir', meaning 'to clear the table'.
- The diminutive deserek is so common that it is often used in advertisements to make the product sound more tempting and less formal.
- In Polish, the word for 'dessert' is grammatically linked to its gender, meaning the adjectives describing it must also change to match its masculine form.
Examples in context
- Zazwyczaj nie jem deseru.I don't usually eat dessert.This sentence shows the use of deser in a negative context.Tatoeba #9679667 by mojeanin, translation #6264902 by CK
- Który deser powinien zjeść?Which dessert should he eat?This sentence shows how to ask which dessert someone should eat.Tatoeba #4917280 by kleklekle, translation #682421 by Source_VOA
- Tom zazwyczaj nie je deseru.Tom doesn't usually eat dessert.This sentence demonstrates the use of deser after a negation.Tatoeba #3430152 by konrad509, translation #1025931 by CK
- Czy mogę zamówić jeszcze deser?May I order another dessert, please?
- Nie mogę się doczekać, aż zjem coś słodkiego!I can't wait to have something sweet!
- 9 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Anna and Tomasz are finishing a meal at a restaurant.
- AnnaCzy chcesz zamówić deser?Do you want to order dessert?
- TomaszTak, chętnie zjem deser.Yes, I would love to eat dessert.
- AnnaTomasz, spójrz na ten deser na zdjęciu.Tomasz, look at this dessert in the photo.
- TomaszWygląda wyśmienicie!It looks delicious!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dessert” translations and entries deser, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
