wieloryb
/vjɛˈlɔ.rɘp/masculine
The English word whale is translated into Polish as wieloryb. Wiktionary also lists waleń.
Meaning: large sea mammal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Polish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| wieloryb | /vjɛˈlɔ.rɘp/ | masculine |
| waleń | /ˈva.lɛɲ/ | masculine |
The term refers to a large sea mammal.
What does it mean word for word?
The word wieloryb is a compound of wielki, meaning great or big and ryba, meaning fish.
Which one should you use?
Wieloryb is the general term used for a whale, whereas waleń is a more specific biological term often used in scientific contexts for certain types of large whales.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When expressing possession or the concept of 'of a whale' (such as 'whale meat'), the form changes from wieloryb to wieloryba.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /vjɛˈlɔ.rɘp/. It has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- The root of the word waleń is the same as the Polish word wal, which means 'to strike' or 'to battle'.
- In many Slavic languages, the historical tendency to group all large water creatures into one category meant that 'whale' and 'fish' were linguistically inseparable for centuries.
- In historical Slavic usage, the distinction between a 'fish' and a 'whale' was often non-existent in common speech.
Examples in context
- Wieloryb to nie ryba, a ssak.The whale is not a fish but a mammal.This sentence is useful for clarifying that a wieloryb is a mammal rather than a fish.Tatoeba #12535706 by DzWnG, translation #238450 by araneo
- Jadłeś kiedyś mięso wieloryba?Have you ever eaten whale meat?This sentence is useful for asking about the consumption of wieloryb meat.Tatoeba #960895 by zipangu, translation #953297 by CK
- Czy jedzenie mięsa wieloryba jest złem?Is eating whale meat wrong?This sentence is useful for discussing the ethics of eating wieloryb meat.Tatoeba #982536 by zipangu, translation #954007 by CK
- Podczas swojej podróży widziałem ogromnego wieloryba.During my journey, I saw a huge whale.
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Krzysztof and Agnieszka are watching a nature documentary on TV.
- KrzysztofWidziałeś ten ogromny wieloryb w filmie?Did you see that huge whale in the movie?
- AgnieszkaTak, ten wieloryb wyglądał niesamowicie.Yes, that whale looked amazing.
- KrzysztofNatura jest naprawdę fascynująca.Nature is truly fascinating.
- AgnieszkaTo prawda, ogromne ssaki budzą podziw.That's true, huge mammals inspire awe.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “whale” translations and entries wieloryb, waleń, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
