czekać
/ˈt͡ʂɛ.kat͡ɕ/imperfective
The English verb wait is expressed in Polish as czekać. Wiktionary also lists oczekiwać.
Meaning: delay until some event (verb)
Ways to say it
| Polish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| czekać | /ˈt͡ʂɛ.kat͡ɕ/ /ˈt͡ʂɛ.kat͡ɕ/ (Middle, Polish) |
imperfective |
| oczekiwać | /ɔ.t͡ʂɛˈki.vat͡ɕ/ | imperfective |
Which one should you use?
czekać is the standard, everyday verb for waiting for someone or something. oczekiwać is more formal than czekać and often carries the sense of 'expecting' a result or a person.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When waiting for a specific person or object, the verb czekać requires the preposition 'na' followed by the accusative case. The phrase czekam na ciebie demonstrates the use of the preposition 'na' with the verb czekać.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtʂɛ.katɕ/. The word has 2 syllables, and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- Using oczekiwać in a casual setting can sound unintentionally haughty or overly bureaucratic to a native speaker, as it is primarily the language of official documents and formal demands.
- The verb czekać is part of a linguistic group that evolved from the Proto-Slavic *čakati, showing how the 'k' sound has remained stable over centuries of language evolution.
- In casual Polish conversation, the phrase czekaj is often used as a filler word to stall for time, similar to how English speakers use 'hold on' or 'wait a second' mid-sentence.
Examples in context
- Nie każ mi czekać!Don't make me wait!This sentence shows how to use the verb czekać in a negative imperative command.Tatoeba #8768780 by nusia2302, translation #1148167 by sundown
- Nie mamy czasu czekać.We don't have time to wait.This sentence illustrates the use of czekać to express a lack of time.Tatoeba #3886427 by jeedrek, translation #3312622 by CK
- Jak długo mamy czekać?How long do we have to wait?This sentence shows how to ask a question regarding the duration of using czekać.Tatoeba #6441590 by arie, translation #6440953 by OsoHombre
- Proszę zaczekać chwilę.Please wait a moment.
- Zaczekam na ciebie przed teatrem.I will wait for you in front of the theater.
- Proszę pana/panią, czy mógłby/mogłaby pan/pani chwilę poczekać?Sir/Madam, could you wait for a moment, please?
- Czekam na autobus od piętnastu minut.I have been waiting for the bus for fifteen minutes.
- Program zawiesił się, potrzebuję chwili, żeby go naprawić.The program has frozen, I need a moment to fix it.
- Poczekaj tu, już wracam.Wait here, I'll be right back.
- Poczekaj jeszcze trochę, zanim zaczniemy jedzenie.Wait a little longer before we start eating.
- Chwilę odczekaj, zaraz wracam z piwem.Wait a moment, I'll be back with the beer.
- Odczekaj jeszcze kilka minut, a potem zaczniemy grę.Wait a few more minutes, and then we'll start the game.
- 54 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Agnieszka and Krzysztof are meeting at a cafe.
- AgnieszkaGdzie jesteś? Muszę długo czekać.Where are you? I have to wait a long time.
- KrzysztofPrzepraszam, będę za pięć minut.I'm sorry, I'll be there in five minutes.
- AgnieszkaNie lubię czekać w samotności.I don't like waiting alone.
- KrzysztofJuż prawie widzę twoją kawiarnię.I can almost see your cafe.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wait” translations and entries czekać, oczekiwać, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries czekać, oczekiwać, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
