wstać
/ˈfstat͡ɕ/perfective
To stand up in Polish is wstać. Wiktionary also lists wstawać.
Meaning: rise from a sitting position (verb)
Ways to say it
| Polish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| wstać | /ˈfstat͡ɕ/ | perfective |
| wstawać | /ˈfsta.vat͡ɕ/ | imperfective |
The phrase is used to describe the physical action of rising from a sitting position.
Which one should you use?
Polish uses two different forms depending on whether the action is completed or ongoing. Use the imperfective form wstawać to describe the process of standing up or a habitual action, such as saying you stand up every morning at a certain time. Use the perfective form wstać for a single, completed action, such as standing up and then leaving a room.
How does it change in a sentence?
The infinitive wstać is used after modal verbs such as mogę (I can) or muszę (I must). If you are giving a command, use the singular imperative form wstań for one person or the plural imperative form wstańcie for a group of people.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈfstatɕ/
Did you know?
- The word wstać is used not only for standing up but also for waking up and getting out of bed.
- Polish speakers use wstać to say they are getting up from a chair and also to describe the act of a disease or flood 'rising' or breaking out.
- The word wstać shares a common ancestor with the English verb 'stand', both tracing back to the Proto-Indo-European root '*steh₂-'.
Examples in context
- Bez przesady, proszę wstać, panie Rothschild.Come on now, please stand up, Mr. Rothschild.This sentence shows a polite way to ask someone to stand up using wstać.Tatoeba #12955836 by vxern, translation #12955841 by vxern
- Możesz wstać?Can you stand up?This sentence demonstrates asking if someone is able to stand up using wstać.Tatoeba #4179240 by jeedrek, translation #1543665 by CK
- Nie mogę wstać.I can't stand up.This sentence shows how to express an inability to stand up using wstać.Tatoeba #2679576 by Koen, translation #262193 by CK
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Tomasz and Małgorzata are in a waiting room.
- TomaszMałgorzata, proszę wstać, już nas wzywają.Małgorzata, please stand up, they are calling us now.
- MałgorzataOjej, naprawdę? Już wstaję.Oh, really? I'm standing up now.
- TomaszTak, musimy teraz wstać i podejść do okienka.Yes, we have to stand up now and go to the window.
- MałgorzataDobrze, idźmy tam razem.Alright, let's go there together.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “stand up” translations and entries wstać, wstawać, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries wstawać, wstać, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
