świnia
/ˈɕfi.ɲa/feminine
The English word "pig" is translated into Polish as świnia.
świnia refers to the mammal of the family Suidae. In a colloquial or insulting sense, it can also be used to refer to a person who is considered contemptible or behaves in a disgusting manner.
Meaning: mammal of family Suidae (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
świnia is a feminine noun in its nominative singular form. The plural form of this noun is świnie.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 2 syllables and the first syllable is stressed. The IPA is /ˈɕfi.ɲa/.
Did you know?
- While świnia is the standard word, the diminutive świnka is used not only for piglets but also for 'świnka gryząca', the Polish term for mumps.
- In Polish slang, calling someone a świnia can specifically imply they are a person who 'stole' someone's partner or acted in a way that broke a deep social trust.
- In Polish culinary contexts, you will often see the word wieprz used instead of świnia when referring specifically to pork as meat.
Examples in context
- Tom jadł jak świnia.Tom ate like a pig.This sentence is useful for showing how świnia is used in a comparison regarding eating habits.Tatoeba #10584492 by tokzyk, translation #1830396 by CK
- Proszę nie karmić świń.Please do not feed the pigs.
- Wieprz jest hodowany dla mięsa.Pigs are bred for meat.
- Dlaczego ten pies goni świnkę?Why is that dog chasing a pig?
- Ta różowa świnia jest bardzo mała.This pink pig is very small.
- W zagrodzie mieszka jedna świnia.There is one pig living in the pen.
Example conversation
Małgorzata and Piotr are visiting a local farm.
- MałgorzataPiotrze, spójrz, ta świnia jest bardzo brudna!Piotr, look, this pig is very dirty!
- PiotrTak, to prawdziwa brudna świnia.Yes, it is a truly dirty pig.
- MałgorzataCzy ta świnia lubi jeść jabłka?Does this pig like eating apples?
- PiotrMyślę, że ta świnia bardzo je lubi.I think this pig likes them very much.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pig” translations and entries świnia, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
