spać
/ˈspat͡ɕ/imperfective
To sleep in Polish is spać.
The verb spać refers to the act or process of resting in a state of reduced consciousness. It is related to the noun sen, which describes the state of sleep and the noun śpioch, which refers to a substance found in the corner of the eyes, sometimes as a figurative objectification of sleep.
Meaning: to rest in state of reduced consciousness (verb)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The form spać is imperfective, which means it focuses on the ongoing process of sleeping. If you want to express the idea of sleeping sufficiently or getting a restful, enough sleep, you should use the reflexive form wyśpić się.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈspatɕ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not confuse the noun sen with the verb spać. Use sen when referring to the state of sleep or a dream, and use spać when you are describing the action of sleeping.
Did you know?
- In Polish folklore, the concept of 'sleep' was sometimes personified, and the term śpioch reflects this link between a physical trait and a personality type.
- The Polish word śpioch for a sleepyhead is an affectionate term, often used for children or partners who struggle to wake up.
- The English word 'sleep' and the Polish verb spać are distant cousins, both tracing back to the same Proto-Indo-European root *swep-.
Examples in context
- Myślę, że pójdę spać.I think I'm gonna go to sleep.This sentence shows how to use spać when expressing an intention to go to sleep.Tatoeba #600772 by buari, translation #1645 by CM
- Kot lubi ze mną spać.The cat likes to sleep beside me.This sentence uses spać to describe a cat's preference for sleeping.Tatoeba #3872021 by jeedrek, translation #44558 by CK
- Tom bał się iść spać.Tom was afraid to go to sleep.This sentence uses spać to describe someone's fear of going to sleep.Tatoeba #5383371 by Tomash, translation #5374973 by CK
- Idę spać, dobranoc!I'm going to sleep, goodnight!
- 89 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Agnieszka and Piotr are talking in the living room late at night.
- AgnieszkaCzy chcesz już iść spać?Do you want to go to sleep already?
- PiotrNie, chcę jeszcze trochę poczytać.No, I want to read for a bit more.
- AgnieszkaAle jutro musimy wstać wcześnie.But we have to get up early tomorrow.
- PiotrMasz rację, idę spać.You are right, I am going to sleep.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sleep” translations and entries spać, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries spać, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
