jak śmiesz
singular
The English phrase "how dare you" is expressed in Polish as jak śmiesz. Wiktionary also lists jak śmiecie.
Meaning: used to express indignation and shock at another person's action (intj)
Ways to say it
| Polish | Note |
|---|---|
| jak śmiesz | singular |
| jak śmiecie | plural |
This phrase is used to express indignation and shock regarding another person's actions.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a literal combination of jak, meaning "how" and śmiesz, meaning "you dare" or "have the audacity".
Which one should you use?
jak śmiesz is used when addressing a single person, whereas jak śmiecie is used when addressing multiple people or when you want to be intentionally distancing.
How does it change in a sentence?
Use jak śmiecie instead of jak śmiesz when addressing a group of people or when using the formal "you" (plural) to express indignation.
Did you know?
- The word śmiecie in the phrase jak śmiecie is a homonym for the Polish word for 'garbage' or 'trash'.
- While jak śmiecie is used for groups, calling a single person śmieć is a severe insult meaning 'scum'.
- While jak śmiesz expresses outrage, the verb 'śmiać się' sounds very similar but actually means 'to laugh'.
Examples in context
- Jak śmiesz tak mówić?How dare you say that?This sentence shows how to use jak śmiesz to express shock at someone's words.Tatoeba #2593986 by Hikaru, translation #16342 by Zifre
- Jak śmiesz prosić mnie o pomoc?How dare you ask me for help!This sentence demonstrates using jak śmiesz when someone asks for help in an audacity-inducing way.Tatoeba #367680 by zipangu, translation #29970 by CM
- Jak śmiesz mówić tak do mnie mówić.How dare you tell me such a thing.This sentence illustrates the use of jak śmiesz when reacting to something someone has told you.Tatoeba #6441614 by arie, translation #6440863 by OsoHombre
- Jak śmiesz tak mnie obrażać?How dare you insult me like that?
- Jak możesz tak łamać obietnice?How dare you break promises like that?
- Jak śmiałeś zniszczyć mój samochód?How dare you destroy my car?
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Katarzyna discovers that Tomasz read her private diary.
- TomaszJuż go oddaję, tylko chciałem zerknąć.I'm giving it back, I just wanted to peek.
- KatarzynaJak śmiesz czytać mój pamiętnik!How dare you read my diary!
- TomaszPrzepraszam, to był błąd.I'm sorry, it was a mistake.
- KatarzynaNie wierzę, żeś to zrobił, Tomasz.I can't believe you did that, Tomasz.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “how dare you” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
