nos
/ˈnɔs/masculine
The English word 'nose' is translated into Polish as nos.
The word nos refers to the protuberance on the face. Related verbs include węszyć (to detect) and the phrase wścibiać nos (to snoop).
Meaning: protuberance on the face (noun)
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The word ryjek refers to a snout or muzzle and is more commonly associated with animal snouts than the human nose.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of nos is nosy. The form nosa is the genitive case, which is used after certain prepositions or when expressing possession, such as in the phrase z nosa (from the nose).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈnɔs/
Did you know?
- While nos is the standard term, using the word ryjek to describe a human nose is a sharp insult, as it explicitly compares the person to an animal with a snout.
- The word nos shares an ancient ancestor with the English word 'nose', both descending from the Proto-Indo-European '*néh₂s'.
- To 'turn up one's nose' in English is a sign of disdain, but in Polish, the phrase kręcić nosem implies a sense of hesitation, doubt or picky behavior.
Examples in context
- Mam bardzo mały nos.I have a very small nose.This sentence is useful for describing the size of one's nos.Tatoeba #5187732 by Tomash, translation #5187470 by CK
- Krew mi leci z nosa.My nose is bleeding.This sentence shows how to use nos when describing blood coming from the nose.Tatoeba #6156408 by arie, translation #950186 by CM
- Przycisnął nos do okna.He pushed his nose against the window.This sentence demonstrates the use of nos when pressing it against an object.Tatoeba #11590452 by tokzyk, translation #574634 by Zac2333
- Moja matka ma piękny nos.My mother has a beautiful nose.
- Lekarz sprawdził mój nos.The doctor examined my nose.
- Moje nozdrza są zatkaneMy nostrils are blocked.
- 25 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Tomasz and Anna are looking at a photo of a child.
- TomaszOn ma bardzo śmieszny nos.He has a very funny nose.
- AnnaTak, ma mały nos.Yes, he has a small nose.
- TomaszTo jest bardzo słodkie.That is very cute.
- AnnaZgadzam się z Tobą, Tomaszu.I agree with you, Tomasz.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “nose” translations and entries nos, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries nos, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
