jest
/ˈjɛst/
The English phrase 'is' is translated to Polish as jest.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb 'to be' (być) must be conjugated to match the subject, whereas in English 'is' is only used for the third person singular. The conjugation includes jestem, jesteś, jest, jesteśmy, jesteście, są. The plural form of jest is są.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈjɛst/
Did you know?
- In spoken Polish, jest is frequently dropped entirely in simple sentences. A speaker might say On ładny instead of On jest ładny to mean 'He is handsome'.
- Polish distinguishes between jest (is) and istnieje (exists). While English often uses 'is' for both, Polish speakers use istnieje when emphasizing the actual existence of a concept.
- In many Polish sentences, you can omit the subject entirely because the form of the verb, such as jestem or jest, already reveals who is performing the action.
Examples in context
- A, no i jest.Ah, there it is.Tatoeba #13784890 by Just_Balls, translation #13784888 by Just_Balls
- Po co to jest?What is it for?Tatoeba #3749791 by gin, translation #3738435 by CK
- Skąd on jest?From where is he?Tatoeba #5230039 by krzysiek, translation #1262614 by sacredceltic
- Mój szef jest w pokoju.My boss is in the room.
- Ten budynek jest bardzo stary.This building is very old.
- Twój raport jest bardzo ważny.Your report is very important.
- Mój brat jest w domu.My brother is at home.
- Moja siostra jest bardzo zdolna.My sister is very talented.
- Zima jest moją ulubioną porą roku.Winter is my favorite season.
- 6312 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Tomasz and Anna are at a cafe.
- TomaszCzy ta herbata jest gorąca?Is this tea hot?
- AnnaTak, jest bardzo gorąca.Yes, it is very hot.
- TomaszDobrze, że jest gorąca.It is good that it is hot.
- AnnaZjedz też ciastko, jest pyszne.Eat the cake too, it is delicious.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry jest, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
