wąż
/ˈvɔw̃ʂ/masculine
The English word "snake" is translated into Polish as wąż.
wąż is a masculine noun used to refer to the legless reptile. You may also encounter the verb wić się, which means to move in a winding path.
Meaning: legless reptile (noun)
Which one should you use?
The diminutive forms wężyk and wążek can be used to refer to snake-like objects or shapes.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of wąż is węże. If the snake is the direct object of a verb, the form changes from wąż to węża (the accusative case).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈvɔw̃ʂ/
Did you know?
- In Polish, the term wąż is also the standard word for a 'hose', such as a garden hose or a vacuum cleaner attachment.
- In some traditional Polish folk beliefs, the wąż was seen as a guardian of the home and should not be killed to avoid bad luck.
- The phrase wykręcać się jak wąż is used to describe someone who is dodging a question or avoiding a direct answer.
Examples in context
- To wąż skusił Ewę.The snake was the one who tempted Eve.This sentence is useful for seeing wąż used in a biblical context.Tatoeba #12524381 by katix824, translation #2659687 by WestofEden
- Toma ukąsił jadowity wąż.Tom was bitten by a venomous snake.This sentence shows how to use wąż when describing a venomous snake.Tatoeba #6170143 by Annika, translation #4567870 by Hybrid
- Ten wąż nie jest jadowity.This snake is not venomous.This sentence demonstrates how to use wąż when describing the properties of a snake.Tatoeba #2354458 by Martka, translation #453974 by CC
- Spotkałem dużego węża w ogrodzie.I encountered a big snake in the garden.
- Wczoraj w lesie spotkałem małą żmiję.Yesterday, I encountered a small snake in the forest.
- Kiedy byłem dzieckiem, często widywałem zaskrońce w ogrodzie babci.When I was a child, I often saw grass snakes in my grandmother's garden.
- W Tatrach można czasem spotkać węże widłozębne.In the Tatra Mountains, you can sometimes come across vipers.
- Starożytni Rzymianie uznawali węże za symbole mądrości i uzdrawiania.The ancient Romans considered snakes as symbols of wisdom and healing.
- Kupiłem dla mojej siostry bransoletkę z wężem.I bought a bracelet with a snake for my sister.
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is walking in a garden.
- TomaszKatarzyna, zobacz, tam jest wąż!Katarzyna, look, there is a snake!
- KatarzynaGdzie? Ja nie widzę tego węża.Where? I don't see that snake.
- TomaszTu, obok tego starego drzewa.Here, next to this old tree.
- KatarzynaO rany, uciekajmy stąd, Tomaszu!Oh my, let's get out of here, Tomasz!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “snake” translations and entries wąż, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
