szynka
/ˈʂɘŋ.ka/feminine
To say ham in Polish, use szynka.
szynka is the word for ham, the cured or cooked meat from a pig's thigh. Common types are szynka wiejska (village ham), szynka domowa (homemade ham) and szynka suszona (dried ham).
Meaning: thigh and buttock of any animal slaughtered for meat (noun)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
szynka is feminine and changes with the case. The genitive is szynki, as in smak szynki, the taste of ham. The locative is szynce and the accusative is szynkę.
How do you pronounce it?
It is pronounced /ˈʂɘŋ.ka/, two syllables with the stress on the first.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not confuse szynka with Cham, which is the name of Noah's son Ham.
Did you know?
- The Polish word szynkarz can be used to describe a tavern keeper, reflecting the historical link between selling ham and running a pub.
- The word szynka is a loanword from the German 'Schinken', which shares the same Proto-Germanic root as the Swedish 'skinka'.
- In traditional Polish cuisine, szynka is often served as part of a 'cold plate' called półmisek wędlin, where it is grouped with other cured meats.
Examples in context
- Lubiłem smak szynki w galarecie.I liked the taste of ham in jelly.smak szynki means the taste of ham, with the genitive form.
- Puszka po szynce wylądowała w koszu.The ham can ended up in the trash.Puszka po szynce means a ham can, an empty can that held ham, with the locative form.
- Daj mi trochę szyneczki na kanapkę!Give me some ham for the sandwich!
- Czy masz jakąś wędlinę? Chciałbym kupić kawałek szynki.Do you have any deli meats? I would like to buy a piece of ham.
- kanapka ze szynkąHam sandwich
- Ta szynka pachnie bardzo dobrze.This ham smells very good.
Example conversation
Paweł and Małgorzata are preparing breakfast in the kitchen.
- PawełCzy chcesz dzisiaj szynkę do kanapki?Do you want ham for your sandwich today?
- MałgorzataTak, poproszę dwa plasterki.Yes, I'll have two slices, please.
- PawełTa szynka jest bardzo smaczna.This ham is very tasty.
- MałgorzataMasz rację, Paweł.You're right, Paweł.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ham” translations and entries szynka, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries szynka, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
