Ways to say it
| Polish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| twój | /ˈtfuj/ /ˈtfoj/ (Middle, Polish) |
|
| pana | /ˈpa.na/ | formal |
| pański | /ˈpaɲ.ski/ | |
| pani | /ˈpa.ɲi/ | formal |
These words are possessive determiners used to indicate that something belongs to one person (singular).
Which one should you use?
The informal form twój changes its ending to match the gender of the noun being possessed. In contrast, the formal forms pana and pani are fixed based on the gender of the person you are addressing and do not change to match the object being possessed.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Use twój when speaking to one person whom you know well or are on a first-name basis with. For formal situations, use pana when addressing a man and pani when addressing a woman.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the informal form, you must use the correct gendered version to match the noun: twój for masculine nouns, twoja for feminine nouns and twoje for neuter nouns. Note that the formal forms pana and pani remain fixed regardless of the gender of the possessed object.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtfuj/
Did you know?
- The formal word for 'your' (masculine) pański is built from the word for 'lord' or 'master', stemming from a root related to 'protecting' or 'feeding' livestock.
- Using the informal twój with a stranger or a superior can be perceived as a deliberate insult or a sign of aggression in Poland.
- The suffix in pański is the same '-ski' used to create many famous Polish surnames, such as 'Kowalski'.
Examples in context
- Czy to twój dom?Is that your house?This sentence is useful for asking about the ownership of a house using twój.Tatoeba #1171233 by sam, translation #773423 by marloncori
- To był twój błąd.It was your mistake.This sentence is useful for identifying a mistake using twój.Tatoeba #3951182 by jeedrek, translation #2647662 by CK
- Co robi twój syn?What does your son do?This sentence is useful for asking about someone's son using twój.Tatoeba #5247243 by krzysiek, translation #274383 by CK
- Pana domYour house
- Pani pracaYour work
- Twój piesYour dog
- Twoja siostraYour sister
- Twoje ulubione miejsceYour favorite place
- Wasz samochódYour car
- Wasza rodzinaYour family
- Wasze plany na weekendYour plans for the weekend
- 428 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Katarzyna and Piotr are looking for a phone on the table.
- KatarzynaCzy to jest twój telefon?Is this your phone?
- PiotrNie, mój telefon jest w torbie.No, my phone is in the bag.
- KatarzynaA gdzie jest twój klucz?And where is your key?
- PiotrZostał w samochodzie.It stayed in the car.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “your” translations and entries twój, pana, pański, pani, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pana, pani, pański, twój, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
