śmierdzący
/ɕmjɛrˈd͡zɔn.t͡sɘ/
The English word 'smelly' is translated into Polish as śmierdzący. Wiktionary also lists smrodliwy.
Meaning: having a bad smell (adj)
Ways to say it
| Polish | IPA |
|---|---|
| śmierdzący | /ɕmjɛrˈd͡zɔn.t͡sɘ/ |
| smrodliwy | /smrɔˈdli.vɘ/ |
Both śmierdzący and smrodliwy are used to describe something that has a bad smell.
Which one should you use?
śmierdzący is the standard and most common way to say 'smelly'. In contrast, smrodliwy is more descriptive and often implies a heavy, pervasive stench.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective must agree in gender with the noun it describes. Use śmierdząca for feminine nouns and śmierdzące for neuter nouns. If you want to say that something 'smells bad' as a verb rather than describing it as an adjective, use the verb śmierdzieć.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɕmjɛrˈdzɔn.tsɘ/. The word has 3 syllables and the stress is on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- The adjective smrodliwy shares a root with smród, a word that is often used in Polish idioms to describe a situation that is 'stinky' or morally corrupt.
- The root of śmierdzieć shares ancient Indo-European origins with other words related to bad odors, showing the long history of how humans have categorized unpleasant scents.
- The suffix in smrodliwy is -liwy, a common Polish way to turn a noun into an adjective that describes a tendency or a quality of being full of something.
Examples in context
- Ten śmietnik jest cuchnącyThis trash bin is smelly
- Ten śmierdzący śmietnik musi zostać wyniesiony.This smelly trash can must be taken out.
- Ten śmierdzący pies potrzebuje kąpieli.This smelly dog needs a bath.
Example conversation
Piotr and Małgorzata are cleaning the kitchen together.
- PiotrMałgorzata, czy czujesz ten śmierdzący kosz?Małgorzata, do you smell this smelly bin?
- MałgorzataTak, musimy go natychmiast wynieść.Yes, we must take it out immediately.
- PiotrZrobię to teraz, żeby nie śmierdziało.I'll do it now so it doesn't smell.
- MałgorzataDziękuję, Piotr, to bardzo pomocne.Thank you, Piotr, that's very helpful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “smelly” translations and entries śmierdzący, smrodliwy, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries smrodliwy, śmierdzący, CC BY-SA 4.0.
