głowa
/ˈɡwɔ.va/feminine
The English word "head" is translated into Polish as głowa.
Głowa refers to the part of the body. Beyond the literal anatomical meaning, the idiom mieć głowę do czegoś (to have a head for something) is used to describe someone who is clever or talented at a specific task.
Meaning: part of the body (noun)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The word głowa is a feminine noun. Its genitive singular form is głowy, which is used to indicate possession or used after many prepositions, such as in the phrase ból głowy (headache or pain of the head).
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables, with the stress on the first syllable. It is pronounced /ˈɡwɔ.va/.
Did you know?
- Polish uses głowa in the phrase z głowy, which means 'off my mind' or 'done with'. When a task is finished, a Pole says it is already z głowy.
- The Polish word for 'head' can be used to describe the top of a nail or a pin, similar to English, but it is also used for the 'head' of a cabbage główka kapusty.
- The word głowa has an old linguistic sibling in the form hołowa, which was borrowed from East Slavic languages.
Examples in context
- Dał mu bryłkę srebra tak dużą, jak jego głowa.He gave him a lump of silver as big as his head.This sentence uses głowa to provide a comparison of size.Tatoeba #3084388 by jeedrek, translation #2740415 by Hybrid
- Boli głowa?Does your head hurt?This sentence uses głowa to ask about a physical sensation.Tatoeba #959015 by zipangu, translation #958903 by CM
- Głowa go boli.His head ached.This sentence uses głowa to describe a physical ache.Tatoeba #546276 by Bilberry, translation #302007 by CK
- Mam ból głowyI have a headache
- Uderzyłem się w głowęI hit my head
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Agnieszka notices Krzysztof looks unwell at work.
- AgnieszkaWszystko w porządku? Twoja głowa wygląda na zmęczoną.Is everything okay? Your head looks tired.
- KrzysztofTak, po prostu bardzo boli mnie głowa.Yes, my head just hurts a lot.
- AgnieszkaMoże powinnaś odpocząć chwilę.Maybe you should rest for a moment.
- KrzysztofMasz rację, moja głowa potrzebuje przerwy.You're right, my head needs a break.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “head” translations and entries głowa, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries głowa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
