mały
/ˈma.wɘ/
The English word 'small' is translated into Polish as mały.
mały is the most common and general term used to describe someone or something as small in Polish. While mały describes general physical size, you should use niski if you are specifically referring to a person's height being short.
Meaning: not large (adj)
Which one should you use?
Other ways to express smallness in Polish include niewielki, which conveys that something is not large or is moderately small and malutki, which represents something extremely small and is often used for tiny objects or animals.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective mały changes its ending depending on the gender of the noun it describes. For feminine nouns, use mała and for neuter nouns, use małe. When describing plural nouns in the genitive case, use the form małych.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈma.wɘ/. The word has two syllables and the stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- In Polish, mały is often used as a term of endearment for a son or a younger brother, regardless of their actual physical size.
- Using mały to describe a person's age is a common way to say they are 'young', though it literally translates to 'small'.
- In Polish, calling someone mały when they are an adult can be perceived as patronizing or belittling, shifting the meaning from physical size to a lack of status.
Examples in context
- Mam bardzo mały nos.I have a very small nose.This sentence is useful for describing the size of a nose using mały.Tatoeba #5187732 by Tomash, translation #5187470 by CK
- Taki ten świat mały!Such a small world!This sentence is useful for expressing the concept of a small world using mały.Tatoeba #5336758 by machmet, translation #2721249 by KoreanBeaver
- Mój ogród jest mały.My garden is small.This sentence is useful for describing the size of a garden using mały.Tatoeba #8761265 by nusia2302, translation #790118 by bephana
- To jest mały piesThis is a small dog
- Mieszkanie ma niewielką kuchnięThe apartment has a small kitchen
- Malutka biedronka siedzi na liściuA tiny ladybug sits on a leaf
- Patrz, ta kaczuszka jest maleńka!Look, that duckling is tiny!
- 61 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Małgorzata and Tomasz are looking at a real estate listing.
- MałgorzataTen dom jest bardzo mały.This house is very small.
- TomaszMałgorzato, ale jest bardzo ładny.Małgorzata, but it is very pretty.
- MałgorzataCzy to nie jest za mały?Isn't it too small?
- TomaszDla nas będzie idealny.It will be perfect for us.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “small” translations and entries mały, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
