tęcza
/ˈtɛn.t͡ʂa/feminine
The English phrase "rainbow" is tęcza in Polish.
tęcza refers to a multicolored arch in the sky. You can also use the related adjective tęczowy to describe something as rainbow-colored or iridescent, or the verbs kolorować and pokolorować to mean patterning something with many colors, much like a rainbow.
Meaning: multicoloured arch in the sky (noun)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
tęcza is a feminine noun. Use the form tęczę when the rainbow is the direct object of a verb, such as in the phrase "widzę tęczę" (I see a rainbow). Use the form tęczy when showing possession or when the rainbow is the object of a preposition like "pod" (under).
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ˈtɛn.tʂa/. It has 2 syllables, and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- The word tęczowy is frequently used in modern Polish politics as a shorthand to describe the LGBTQ+ community and their rights.
- The word tęcza is a doublet of the word tucza, which relates to the process of fattening up animals.
- While English uses 'rainbow' as a single compound word, tęcza is a standalone root that does not explicitly mention 'rain' or 'bow'.
Examples in context
- Tęcza ma siedem kolorów.The rainbow has seven colours.This sentence is useful for stating how many colours the tęcza has.Tatoeba #534056 by orzechowski, translation #12356291 by sundown
- Piękna tęcza rozciąga się na niebie.A beautiful rainbow is spanning the sky.This sentence is useful for describing how a beautiful tęcza is spanning the sky.Tatoeba #7679536 by qmak, translation #18305 by piksea
- Jaka piękna tęcza!What a beautiful rainbow!This sentence is useful for an exclamation about a beautiful tęcza.Tatoeba #3945403 by jeedrek, translation #24877 by CK
- Widziałem piękną tęczę na niebie.I saw a beautiful rainbow in the sky.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Krzysztof and Anna are walking in a park after the rain.
- KrzysztofSpójrz, tam jest tęcza!Look, there is a rainbow!
- AnnaO tak, jest przepiękna.Oh yes, it is beautiful.
- KrzysztofWidzisz tę tęczę nad drzewami?Do you see that rainbow over the trees?
- AnnaTak, widzę ją wyraźnie.Yes, I see it clearly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rainbow” translations and entries tęcza, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tęcza, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
