Ways to say it
| Polish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| mężczyzna | /mɛw̃ʂˈt͡ʂɘz.na/ /mɛnʂˈt͡ʂɘz.na/ |
masculine, person |
| pan | /ˈpan/ /pɒn/ (Middle, Polish) |
deferential, masculine, person |
| człowiek | /ˈt͡ʂwɔ.vjɛk/ /ˈt͡ʂɫɔ.vjɛk/ (Middle, Polish) |
masculine, nondeferential, person |
| mąż | /ˈmɔw̃ʂ/ /ˈmɔnʂ/ |
masculine, obsolete, person |
The primary way to refer to an adult male human is mężczyzna. Other terms exist depending on whether you are being polite, describing a human being or using outdated language.
Which one should you use?
mężczyzna is the standard, neutral term for an adult male human. In contrast, pan is used as a polite way to address or refer to a man, similar to how you might use 'Sir' or 'Mr.' in English. The word człowiek refers to a human being and is non-deferential. While mąż is the standard word for 'husband', it could also mean 'man' in older or literary contexts.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The word mężczyzna changes to mężczyznę when it functions as the direct object of a sentence.
How do you pronounce it?
/mɛw̃ʂˈtʂɘz.na/. The word has 3 syllables and the stress is on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- The word pan is used so frequently that it is common to use it as a formal pronoun, replacing the English 'you' entirely when speaking to a man.
- The Polish word człowiek shares an ancient Proto-Indo-European root with words relating to 'cultivating' or 'tilling' the earth.
- If you call a man pan in a very informal setting among close friends, it can be interpreted as a joke or a sign of sudden, sarcastic distance.
Examples in context
- Ten człowiek ma konia.This man has a horse.This sentence uses człowiek.Tatoeba #882870 by zipangu, translation #882684 by CN
- Tommy to miły człowiek.Tommy is a nice man.Tatoeba #582912 by zipangu, translation #37439 by CN
- Mężczyzna jęczał z bólu.The man groaned in pain.This sentence uses mężczyzna.Tatoeba #6306798 by fau, translation #45330 by CK
- Zobaczyłem podejrzanego człowieka niedaleko parkuI saw a shady man near the park
- Mój koleś jest miłym gościemMy friend is a nice guy
- Ten koleś tam jest moim bratemThe guy over there is my brother
- 245 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Katarzyna is asking Krzysztof about a new colleague at work.
- KrzysztofTen mężczyzna pracuje w naszym biurze.That man works in our office.
- KatarzynaCzy on jest nowym szefem?Is he the new boss?
- KrzysztofNie, to po prostu młody mężczyzna z IT.No, he is just a young man from IT.
- KatarzynaRozumiem, miło go poznać.I see, it is nice to meet him.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “man” translations and entries mężczyzna, pan, człowiek, mąż, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries człowiek, mąż, mężczyzna, pan, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
