szczeniak
/ˈʂt͡ʂɛ.ɲak/masculine
The Polish word for "puppy" is szczeniak. If unsure, use szczenię.
Meaning: young dog (noun)
Ways to say it
| Polish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| szczeniak | /ˈʂt͡ʂɛ.ɲak/ | masculine |
| szczenię | /ˈʂt͡ʂɛ.ɲɛ/ /ˈʂt͡ʂɛ.ɲɛw̃/ |
neuter |
The term refers to a young dog. In colloquial or slang speech, szczeniak can also be used as a derogatory way to describe a young, insolent person or a 'brat'.
Which one should you use?
szczeniak is the masculine form used for a male puppy or when referring to a puppy in a general masculine sense. szczenię is the neuter form used for a puppy of unspecified gender and is often considered the general word for "puppy" in Polish.
How does it change in a sentence?
When szczeniak is used as the direct object of a verb such as "to have" (mieć), it changes to its accusative form szczeniaka.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 2 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable. The IPA is /ˈʂtʂɛ.ɲak/.
Did you know?
- While szczenię means 'puppy', it is also the general term for the young of many other animals, such as cubs or pups of different species.
- The Proto-Slavic root of szczenię relates to the concept of 'teeth' or 'gnawing', which is a natural way to describe a young animal's behavior.
- The Polish language has a high number of diminutive suffixes, meaning you can make szczeniak sound even smaller and cuter by adding more endings.
Examples in context
- Młodego psa nazywa się szczeniakiem.A young dog is called a "puppy."This sentence explains how a young dog is referred to using szczeniak.Tatoeba #12818584 by JimiYoru, translation #682518 by Source_VOA
- Jaki słodki szczeniak!What a sweet puppy!This sentence shows an expression of affection for a szczeniak.Tatoeba #6681835 by juu_ichi, translation #6681771 by Eccles17
- Mam szczeniaka u weterynarza.I have a puppy at the vet.This sentence demonstrates the use of the accusative form szczeniaka after the verb to have.Tatoeba #12036774 by carlosalberto, translation #12036685 by carlosalberto
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Agnieszka and Paweł are looking at a photo on a phone.
- AgnieszkaCzy to jest twój nowy szczeniak?Is this your new puppy?
- PawełTak, to jest mój mały szczeniak.Yes, this is my little puppy.
- AgnieszkaTen szczeniak wygląda na bardzo radosnego.This puppy looks very happy.
- PawełOn jest wspaniały i bardzo energiczny.He is wonderful and very energetic.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “puppy” translations and entries szczeniak, szczenię, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries szczeniak, szczenię, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
