sprzątać
/ˈspʂɔn.tat͡ɕ/
The English phrase 'tidy up' is translated into Polish as sprzątać.
The verb is used to describe the act of making a place neat by returning items to their proper positions.
Which one should you use?
While sprzątać is the standard term, posprzątać refers to the completed act of tidying up, whereas sprzątać refers to the ongoing process. The form sprzątnąć is an informal variant that can mean to tidy up quickly or, depending on the context, to quickly hide something out of sight. If you want to suggest the specific act of arranging or organizing things, you can use the informal word poukładać.
How does it change in a sentence?
The third-person singular present tense of sprzątać is sprząta (he/she tidies up).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈspʂɔn.tatɕ/. It has two syllables and the stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- In Polish, the word sprzątnąć can be used as a euphemism for murder, meaning to 'remove' or 'eliminate' someone permanently.
- The verb sprzątać is often paired with the word generalne to describe sprzątanie generalne, a traditional, exhaustive deep-clean of the entire home.
- In certain Polish dialects or older linguistic contexts, the root of sprzątać shares a conceptual link with the idea of 'stripping' or 'clearing away' layers.
Examples in context
- Możesz, proszę, poukładać te książki na półce?Could you please tidy up those books on the shelf?
- Przykro mi, ale muszę uprzątnąć ten bałagan przed twoją wizytą.I'm sorry, but I have to tidy up this mess before your visit.
- Muszę posprzątać pokój.I have to tidy up the room.
- On nie lubi sprzątać rano.He does not like to tidy up in the morning.
Example conversation
A couple is talking about their messy living room.
- MałgorzataPiotrze, musimy w końcu sprzątać ten salon.Piotr, we finally need to tidy up this living room.
- PiotrMasz rację, Małgorzato, jest tutaj straszny bałagan.You are right, Małgorzata, it is a terrible mess in here.
- MałgorzataZacznij proszę od tych książek na stole.Please start with those books on the table.
- PiotrDobrze, zaraz wszystko poukładam na półkach.Alright, I will put everything on the shelves in a moment.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry sprzątać, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
