Ways to say it
| Polish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| uścisk | /ˈu.ɕt͡ɕisk/ | masculine |
| objęcie | /ɔˈbjɛɲ.t͡ɕɛ/ | neuter |
Both words refer to an affectionate embrace. The term uścisk is often associated with a firm hold or a handshake, while objęcie focuses on the physical act of surrounding someone with your arms.
Which one should you use?
uścisk is a masculine noun that can feel more formal or firm, such as in the phrase uścisk dłoni (handshake). In contrast, the neuter noun objęcie emphasizes the embrace itself, specifically the act of wrapping your arms around someone.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some regions, particularly in southern Poland, the verb ściskać is used to mean hug, instead of obejmować or przytulać.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine noun uścisk changes to uścisku in the genitive case, such as in the phrase podczas uścisku (during the hug). The neuter noun objęcie changes to objęcia in the genitive case.
How do you pronounce it?
uścisk is pronounced as /ˈu.ɕtɕisk/. It has 2 syllables, and the stress is on the 1st of 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- If you want to say 'a big hug' in a cute or diminutive way, you might use the word przytulasek instead of the standard nouns.
- The word objęcie can also be used as a metaphor for 'grasping' a concept or 'comprehending' a wide range of topics.
- The word uścisk can be used poetically to describe a 'grip' or 'embrace' of something intangible, like a 'uścisk lęku' meaning the 'grip of fear'.
Examples in context
- Czy mogę Cię obściskać?May I hug you?
- Chcę Cię przytulićI want to hug you
- Przytulam Cię z całego serca!I hug you with all my heart!
- To był bardzo serdeczny uścisk.It was a very warm hug.
- Czułem jego mocny uścisk.I felt his strong hug.
- Ten uścisk bardzo mi pomógł.That hug helped me a lot.
Example conversation
Tomasz and Małgorzata greet each other at the airport.
- TomaszW końcu jesteś tutaj!You are finally here!
- MałgorzataTęskniłam za tobą, Tomaszu.I missed you, Tomasz.
- TomaszChodź tutaj na szybki uścisk.Come here for a quick hug.
- MałgorzataTo było bardzo miłe.That was very sweet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hug” translations and entries uścisk, objęcie, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
