zło
/ˈzwɔ/
In Polish, the English word 'evil' is translated as zło.
zło is a noun referring to the concept of moral corruption or evil itself. You might encounter related phrases like Złe duchy, which translates to 'evil spirits' and can be used to describe individuals who are wicked or malevolent.
Meaning: morally corrupt (adj)
Which one should you use?
It is important to distinguish between the noun and the adjective. zło is the noun meaning 'evil', whereas zły is the adjective used to mean 'evil' or 'bad'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun zło is neuter. While it is a neuter noun, it can take feminine endings in certain grammatical constructions or when describing specific feminine nouns, such as the form zła. Additionally, the adjective form złe is used to describe neuter nouns to match the gender of zło.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈzwɔ/
Did you know?
- The noun zło is the root for the word złośliwy, which means 'spiteful' or 'malicious'. In a technical context, this same word is used to describe 'malware' as złośliwe oprogramowanie.
- In Polish, zły can also mean 'angry'. If someone says they are zły, they might not be evil, but simply irritated or furious.
- In certain contexts, the adjective zły can mean 'wrong' in a factual sense, such as a 'wrong answer', rather than a moral one.
Examples in context
- Dobro zawsze zwycięża zło.Good always wins over evil.This sentence is useful for showing how zło functions as the opposite of good.Tatoeba #1790599 by MarekMazurkiewicz, translation #1233943 by Scott
- Osobiście uważam, że kara cielesna to zło konieczne.Personally, I think that corporal punishment is a necessary evil.This sentence uses zło within the common expression for a 'necessary evil'.Tatoeba #12180470 by polski_ren, translation #3052512 by WestofEden
- Zło czasem zwycięża.Evil sometimes wins.This sentence demonstrates the use of zło in a simple statement about its occasional victory.Tatoeba #10595939 by polski_ren, translation #28609 by CK
- Zło zapanowało nad światemEvil has taken over the world
- On jest złym człowiekiemHe is an evil person
- Unikaj tego miejsca, tu krążą złe duchyAvoid that place, evil spirits roam there
- Zło nigdy nie zwycięży dobraEvil will never triumph over good
- Ta kobieta jest naprawdę zła!That woman is really evil!
- Tamten film był pełen złych duchówThat movie was full of evil spirits
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Katarzyna and Piotr are discussing a movie villain.
- KatarzynaTen bohater jest naprawdę zło uosobione.This character is truly evil personified.
- PiotrTak, jego czyny są straszne.Yes, his actions are terrible.
- KatarzynaWierzę, że zło w końcu zostanie ukarane.I believe that evil will finally be punished.
- PiotrMam nadzieję, że tak będzie.I hope it will be that way.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry zło, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
