Józef
/ˈju.zɛf/
The English name Joseph is translated into Polish as Józef.
Meaning: male given name (name)
Which one should you use?
There are several variations of the name used in different contexts: Józef is the standard form, while Józek, Joszka, Józio, Józiu and Józefek are all variations of the name.
How does it change in a sentence?
The name changes its form depending on the grammatical case. For example, it changes to Józefa in the genitive case, which is used when expressing possession (such as 'of Joseph') or negation (such as 'I don't have Joseph').
How do you pronounce it?
The name has two syllables with the stress on the first syllable: /ˈju.zɛf/.
Did you know?
- Polish culture has a tradition of 'name days', and those named Józef typically celebrate on March 19th.
- In Poland, the name Józef is strongly associated with the 'grandfather' generation, making it rare for newborns today.
- The Polish name Józef is a learned borrowing from the Latin Iōsēphus, rather than a direct linguistic descendant of the original Hebrew.
Examples in context
- Cześć JózekHi Józek
- Witaj JózekHello Józek
- Kochany JózekBeloved Józek
- Mój brat ma na imię Józef.My brother's name is Józef.
- Czy ten pan to Józef?Is that gentleman Józef?
- Józef pracuje tutaj od roku.Józef has been working here for a year.
Example conversation
Paweł and Małgorzata are looking at an old photo.
- PawełKto jest na tym zdjęciu?Who is in this photo?
- MałgorzataTo jest twój dziadek, Józef.That is your grandfather, Józef.
- PawełOn wygląda bardzo poważnie.He looks very serious.
- MałgorzataTak, Józef był bardzo skrytym człowiekiem.Yes, Józef was a very reserved man.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “joseph” translations and entries Józef, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Józef, CC BY-SA 4.0.
