Jan
/ˈjan/masculine
The English name John can be translated into Polish as Jan. Wiktionary also lists Iwan.
Meaning: male given name (name)
Ways to say it
| Polish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | /ˈjan/ | masculine |
| Iwan | /ˈi.van/ | masculine |
The name is used to identify males. While Jan is the standard Polish equivalent for the English name John, the name can also appear in other forms depending on the cultural context.
Which one should you use?
Jan is the standard Polish version of the name John. In contrast, Iwan is the Polish form used for the Slavic name Ivan, which is often used when referring to the Russian name.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈjan/
Did you know?
- In Polish, the name Jan is used in the common phrase Janusz i Grażyna, which stereotypes a specific type of outdated, middle-aged Polish couple.
- Unlike in English, Polish names like Jan change their ending depending on the grammatical case, such as becoming Janie when calling someone.
- The name Jan shares a common ancestor with the English 'John' and the Spanish 'Juan', all tracing back to the Hebrew 'Yohanan'.
Examples in context
- Jan jest dobrym uczniem.John is a good student.This sentence shows how to use Jan as a subject in a basic sentence.Tatoeba #13786921 by Just_Balls, translation #52725 by CN
- Dzień dobry, Panie JanieGood day, Mr. John.
- Hej, Janek! Jak się masz?Hey, John! How are you?
- Cześć, Jasiu! Co słychać?Hi, John! What's up?
- Hej, Janku! Co u Ciebie słychać?Hey, John! What's up with you?
- To jest Jan.This is Jan.
- Mój brat ma na imię Jan.My brother's name is Jan.
- 14 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Tomasz and Małgorzata are talking about a mutual friend at a cafe.
- TomaszCzy znasz Jana?Do you know Jan?
- MałgorzataTak, Jan to mój kolega.Yes, Jan is my friend.
- TomaszOn jest bardzo miły.He is very kind.
- MałgorzataWiem, Jan to świetny człowiek.I know, Jan is a great person.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “john” translations and entries Jan, Iwan, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Iwan, Jan, iwan, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
