Ways to say it
| Polish | IPA |
|---|---|
| wspaniały | /fspaˈɲa.wɘ/ |
| świetny | /ˈɕfjɛt.nɘ/ |
Both words are used as adjectives to describe something that is very good. You can also use related forms such as the adverbs świetnie or fajnie to mean 'very well' or 'greatly', and the interjections świetnie or super to mean 'great!' in response to news.
Which one should you use?
While both mean 'great', wspaniały is more intense and carries a sense of magnificence or splendor. In contrast, świetny is the more common, everyday way to say something is great or excellent.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
świetny is a neutral, everyday term. If you want to be very informal, you can use super or the word fajny (and its forms fajna or fajne), which means 'cool' or 'nice'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The word fajno is a dialectal or regional variation of fajnie, often associated with certain southern regions of Poland.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the adjective świetny, it must agree with the gender of the noun: świetny for masculine, świetna for feminine and świetne for neuter or non-masculine personal plural. To use 'great' as an adverb to describe how an action is performed, use the form świetnie.
How do you pronounce it?
wspaniały is pronounced /fspaˈɲa.wɘ/. It has 3 syllables, and the stress is on the 2nd syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using the adjective świetny to describe how an action is performed. Instead, use the adverb świetnie to mean 'greatly' or 'excellently'.
Did you know?
- The adjective wspaniały contains the word pan, which means 'lord' or 'sir'. Its historical structure suggests a connection to being 'pan-like' or possessing a noble splendor.
- In some southern regions of Poland, you might hear the word fajno instead of the standard fajnie to express that something is 'great' or 'nice'.
Examples in context
- Jego żart był świetny.His joke was great.This sentence shows the use of the adjective świetny.Tatoeba #552534 by Bilberry, translation #465032 by CK
- To był świetny tydzień.It's been a great week.Tatoeba #3894988 by jeedrek, translation #3636001 by CK
- Czy Tom nie jest świetny?Isn't Tom great?Tatoeba #4735497 by BeataB, translation #2244652 by CK
- Twoje dokonania są wspaniałe!Your achievements are great!
- To jest doskonała prezentacja!This is a great presentation!
- To jest naprawdę fajne miejsce!This is a really great place!
- Świetnie wyglądasz!You look great!
- To jest znakomity film, musisz go zobaczyć!This is a great film, you must watch it!
- Ta impreza była naprawdę miodzio!This party was really great!
- 26 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Agnieszka and Tomasz are discussing a movie they just watched.
- AgnieszkaTen film był naprawdę wspaniały.That movie was really great.
- TomaszZgadzam się, bardzo mi się podobał.I agree, I liked it a lot.
- AgnieszkaAktorzy też byli wspaniali.The actors were also great.
- TomaszTak, zagrali swoje role idealnie.Yes, they played their roles perfectly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “great” translations and entries wspaniały, świetny, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries wspaniały, świetny, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
