Ways to say it
| Polish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| żona | /ˈʐɔ.na/ | feminine |
| małżonka | /mawˈʐɔn.ka/ | feminine |
The primary way to refer to a female partner in a marriage is using the term żona. You may also encounter the phrase Moja druga połowa, which translates to "my better half".
Which one should you use?
While żona is the standard word for wife, małżonka is a more formal term used in legal or official contexts, equivalent to "spouse".
How does it change in a sentence?
The word żona changes its form depending on its role in a sentence. It becomes żony in the genitive case, which is used to indicate possession (such as "the wife of…") or after many prepositions. It becomes żonę in the accusative case when the word is the direct object of a verb, for example, when saying "I see my wife."
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ˈʐɔ.na/. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- The word żona shares a deep prehistoric root with the English word 'woman', tracing back to the Proto-Indo-European root *gʷén-eh₂.
- The formal word małżonka is a linguistic 'calque' of an Old High German term. This means Polish speakers didn't just borrow the sound of the word but translated the German components into their own language.
- While Moja druga połowa translates to 'my better half', it is used in Polish for both wives and husbands regardless of gender.
Examples in context
- To jest moja żona.This is my wife.This sentence demonstrates how to introduce your wife using żona.Tatoeba #2976857 by jeedrek, translation #1898100 by CK
- Czy to twoja żona?Is that your wife?This sentence shows how to ask if someone is someone's wife using żona.Tatoeba #3749827 by gin, translation #3737771 by CK
- Czy to żona Tomka?Is that Tom's wife?This sentence shows how to ask if a woman is the wife of a specific person using żona.Tatoeba #11492504 by jezykiija, translation #7453165 by CK
- Jestem z moją małżonką na uroczystości.I am with my wife at the ceremony.
- 67 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Agnieszka and Krzysztof are talking about a party invitation.
- AgnieszkaCzy zaprosiłeś swoją żonę na przyjęcie?Did you invite your wife to the party?
- KrzysztofTak, moja żona bardzo chce tam iść.Yes, my wife really wants to go there.
- AgnieszkaCieszę się, że twoja żona do nas dołączy.I am glad that your wife will join us.
- KrzysztofOna też cieszy się na to spotkanie.She is also looking forward to the meeting.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wife” translations and entries żona, małżonka, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries małżonka, żona, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
