Poland Languages
Most materials used in Polish research are written in Polish. You do not need to speak or read Polish to do research in Polish records, but you should know some key words and phrases to understand the records. Because the Roman Catholic Church was the predominant religion in Poland, many records are in Latin. Other languages in Polish records include German and Russian.
Polish grammar may affect the way names appear in genealogical records. For example, names of your ancestors will vary from record to record in Polish.
For help in understanding name variations, see the “Names, Personal” section in this outline.
Alphabet
Aa Ąą Bb Cc Ćć Dd Ee Ęę Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Łł Mm Nn Ńń Oo Óó Pp Rr Ss Śś Tt Uu Ww Yy Zz Źź Żż
The letters q, v and x are also used, but only for foreign names or words.
Pronunciation Guide
c = ts
ch,h = kh
ć,cz,ci = ch
ś,sz,si = sh
ż,zi,rz = zh
ą = om, on
ę = em, en
j = y
dz = j
ł = w
w = v
Language Aids
The Family History Library has genealogical word lists for Polish (34098), German (34067), and Latin (34077). The following books and English-Polish dictionaries can also aid you in your research. You can find these and similar material at many research libraries:
Kierst, W. English-Polish/Polish-English Dictionary. New York, New York: Saphograph Co., 1956. (FHL book 491.85321 K847e.)
Pogonowski, Iwo Cyprian. Practical Polish-English, English-Polish Dictionary. New York, New York: Hippocrene Books, 1985. (FHL book 491.85321P751p.)
Another valuable research tool for reading records of the former Russian territories of Poland is:
Frazin, Judith R. A Translation Guide to the 19-century Polish-language Civil-registration Documents: (Birth, Marriage and Death Records). 2nd ed. Northbrook, Illinois: The Jewish Genealogical Society of Illinois, 1989. (FHL book 943.8 V27.)
To read the Russian language records of this same area after 1868 use:
Shea, Jonathan D. Russian Language Documents from Russian Poland: a Translation Manual for Genealogists. 2nd ed. Buffalo Grove, Illinois: Genun, 1989. (FHL book 943.8 D27.)
The Polish genealogical Word List published by the Family History Library is available at this link: http://204.9.225.220/eng/Search/rg/frameset_rhelps.asp?Page=./research/type/Word_List.asp
Word List
This list contains Polish words with their English translations. The words included here are those that you are likely to find in genealogical sources. If the word you are looking for is not on this list, please consult a Polish-English dictionary.
Polish is a Slavic language related to Russian and Czecslovakian. It is used in genealogical sources throughout Poland. Before 1918, Polish-speaking territories were divided between Russia, Germany, and Austria. Records written before 1918 may be in German, Russian, Latin, or Polish.
- In Russian Poland, Polish was the official language for vital records from 1808 to 1868. From 1868 to 1917, Russian was the official language.
- In German Poland, most records were kept in German or Latin, though some were kept in Polish.
- In Austrian Poland, most records were kept in Latin. Some records were kept in German and some in Polish.
Polish is also used in the records kept in some Polish communities in the United States.
Polish records often contain Latin and German words. See the German Genealogical Word List (34067) and the Latin Genealogical Word List (34077). Or at the following link:http://204.9.225.220/eng/Search/rg/frameset_rhelps.asp?Page=./research/type/Word_List.asp
Language Characteristics
Polish words for persons, places, and things (nouns) are classified as masculine, feminine, or neuter. Adjectives used to describe them must have the proper masculine, feminine, or neuter endings, for example:
stary maz-- old man
stara kobieta-- old woman
stare miasto-- old city
The endings of past tense verbs also change depending on the gender of the person or thing being described or performing the action. For example:
umarl-- he died
umarla-- she died
umarlo-- it [the child] died
Variant Forms of Words
In Polish, as in English, the forms of some words will vary according to how they are used in a sentence. Who-whose-whom or marry-marries- married are examples of words in English with variant forms. In Polish any word may change, depending on usage. This word list gives the standard form of each Polish word. As you read Polish records, you will need to be aware that most words vary with usage.
The endings of words in a document will often differ from what you find in this list. For example, the document may use the word starego (old), but you will find it in this word list as stary (old).
Certain endings, called genitive, give the meaning "of" to a word. The following endings are typical:
Nouns Endings Adjectives
-a (masculine) -ego
-y or -i (feminine) -ej
-ów (plural) -ich or -ych
Thus, ojciec zmarlego means "father of the deceased."
Plural forms of Polish words usually change the singular word as follows:
Words ending in -a change to -y
Words ending in -o change to -a
A -y or -i is added to form the plural
The plural form may change the basic word, for example:
| Singular | Plural |
| miasto =city | miasta= cities |
| powiat =district | powiaty =districts |
| brat= brother | bracia =brothers |
| zona=wife | zony=wives |
Additional Resources
This word list includes words most commonly found in genealogical sources. For further help, use a Polish-English dictionary. Several Polish-English dictionaries are available at the Family History Library in the European collection. Their call numbers begin with 491.85321. See the "Encyclopedias and Dictionaries" section in this outline.
The following dictionary is available on microfilm for use in Family History Centers:
Stanislawski, Jan. English-Polish and Polish-English Dictionary. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: David McKay, 1946. (FHL film 1,045,473, item 1)
Additional dictionaries are listed in the Subject section of the Family History Library Catalog under:
POLISH LANGUAGE - DICTIONARIES
Other dictionaries and language helps, such as Polish grammar books, are listed in the Locality section under:
POLAND - LANGUAGE AND LANGUAGES
Key Words
To find and use specific types of Polish records, you will need to know some key words in Polish. This section gives key genealogical terms in English and the Polish words with the same or similar meanings.
For example, in the first column you will find the English word marriage. In the second column you will find Polish words with meanings such as marry, marriage, wedding, wedlock, unite, legitimate, joined, and other words used to indicate marriage.
| English | Polish |
| birth | urodzin, urodzony, urodzil, sie zrodzony |
| burial | pochowanie, pogrzeb |
| Catholic | rzymsko-katolicki |
| child | dziecie, dziecko |
| christening | chrzest, chrzciny, ochrzczone |
| death(s) | zgon(ów), zejsc, umarl, zmarl, smierci |
| father | ojciec |
| husband | maz, malzonek |
| index | indeks, skorowidz, register, spis |
| Jewish | zydowski, starozakonny, izraelici, mojzeszowy |
| marriage | malzenstw(o), slub(ów), zaslubionych |
| marriage banns | zapowiedzi |
| mother | matka |
| name, given | imie, imion |
| name, surname | nazwisko |
| parents | rodzice |
| parish | parafia |
| Protestant | ewangelicki, reformowany, protestancki, luteranski |
| wife | zona, malzonka, zamezna, kobieta |
| year |
General Word List
This general word list includes words commonly seen in genealogical sources. Numbers, months, and days of the week are listed both here and in the separate sections that follow this list.
In this list, optional versions of Polish words or variable endings (such as some plural or feminine endings) are given in parentheses. Some Polish phrases and their translations are listed [in brackets] under the most significant Polish word, not the first word, of the phrase. Words in parentheses in the English column clarify the definition.
| Polish | English |
| aby | so that |
| adoptowany | adopted |
| akatolicki | non-Catholic |
| akt | an entry in a register, record |
| akta małżenstw akta ślubów | marriage records |
| akta urodzin | birth records |
| akta zapowiedzi | banns records |
| akta zejść | death records |
| akta zgonów | death records |
| akuszerka | midwife |
| albo | or |
| ale | but |
| archiwum | archive |
| asystencya | assistance |
| austriacki | Austrian |
| Polish | English |
| babka | grandmother |
| bakałarz | teacher, bachelor |
| bałtycki | Baltic |
| będą | they will |
| będzie | he/she/it will |
| bez | without |
| bezdzietny | childless |
| bezimienny | unnamed, nameless |
| białoruski | Belorussian |
| biały | white |
| biegunka | diarrhea, dysentery |
| bierzmowanie | confirmation |
| bieżący | current (of the current year) |
| biskup | bishop |
| bliski | near |
| bliżnięta | twins |
| błogosławil | blessed |
| błogosławiony | blessed, the late |
| bo | because |
| bóg | the Lord |
| bólu | of pain |
| bożnica | synagogue |
| Boży | the Lord's |
| bracia | brothers |
| brak | lack of, is missing |
| brat | brother |
| bratanek | nephew |
| bratanica | niece |
| bratowa | sister-in-law |
| brzemienna | pregnant |
| burmistrz | mayor |
| być | to be |
| był | was (were) |
| Polish | English |
| cały | entire |
| ceglarz | brick maker |
| cesarski | imperial |
| cesarstwo | empire |
| chałupnik | cottager, poor peasant |
| chce | he wants |
| chłop | peasant, country fellow |
| chłopiec | boy |
| choroba | disease |
| chrzczony | christened |
| chrzest | christening |
| chrzestna, chrzestny | godparents |
| chwilowo | temporarily |
| ciocia (ciotka) | aunt |
| cementarz | cemetery, churchyard |
| co | what |
| córka | daughter |
| cudzoziemski | foreign |
| cukrzyca | diabetes |
| cyrkul | district (of a city), ward |
| cyrulnik | barber-surgeon |
| czarny | black |
| czas | time |
| czasopismo | magazine, periodical |
| czasowo | temporarily |
| czemu | why |
| czerwca | of June |
| czerwony | red |
| część | part, portion |
| czeski | Czech |
| często | often |
| członek | member |
| czterdzieści | forty |
| czterdziesty | fortieth |
| czterechsetny | four hundredth |
| czternaście | fourteen |
| czternasty | fourteenth |
| cztery | four |
| czterysetny | four hundredth |
| czterysta | four hundred |
| czwartek | Thursday |
| czwarty | fourth |
| czy | whether (introduces a question) |
| czyli | or |
| czynszownik | renter |
E
emigracja emigration ewangelicki Evangelical, Lutheran
F
familia family farbiarz dyer febra fever felczer medical assistant folwark manor farm fornal farm wagon driver fryzjer barber
G
garbarz tanner gdy when gdzie where glisty intestinal worms glówny main gmina township, community godny worthy godzina hour golarz barber góra mountain, hill goraczka fever górny upper gorzelnia distillery gospodarz farmer (self-sustaining) granica border grecko-katolicki Greek-Catholic, Uniate (Greek rite, but under a Roman Pope) gromada group, cluster, hamlet, community grudnia of December grunt land, property gubernia Russian province
H
handlarz peddler, merchant herb coat of arms historia history
I
i and ich their imie (imiona) given name(s) imigracja immigration inaczej otherwise, alias inny other itd. and so forth iz that (know that he died) izraelici Jews
J
jak how, as jak duzo as much jaki what kind of jeden one jedenascie eleven jedenasty eleventh jedna one jednak but jego his jej her jest is jestescie you are jestesmy we are jeszcze still, yet jezioro lake jezyk language jutro morning, tomorrow juz already
K
karta page kaszel cough katolicki Catholic kawaler bachelor kazdy each, every kiedy when kilometr kilometer kobieta woman, wife kogo whom kolek of cramps kolki colic kolo around, near, by kolonista colonist, settler komornik tenant, poor peasant koncowy final, last konfirmacja confirmation koniec end konsumpcja ciala consumption, tuberculosis konto account konwulsje convulsions korcarz grain merchant kosciól church kowal smith kraj region, area, country krajowy local kramarz stall keeper, merchant krawiec tailor krewny blood-relative król king królestwo kingdom królewski royal krolowa queen krwotek bleeding, hemorrhage ksiadz priest ksiega book ksiestwo principality, duchy kto who który which, who kum godfather kuma godmother kunszt trade, occupation kupiec shopkeeper, merchant kupil he bought kuzyn cousin (male) kuzynka cousin (female) kwartal quarter (of a year or city) kwietnia of April
L
lacinski Latin las forest, woods lata years lecz but lesnik forester lewy left liczacy counting [lat ... liczacy] [... years old] linia line, lineage lipca of July listopada of November litewski Lithuanian lotewski Latvian loze status of legitimacy, bed [nieprawego loza] [illegitimate] lub or lud people ludnosc population lutego of February
M
ma has macocha stepmother maczarz miller madziarski Hungarian maja of May maja they have majacy having [lat ... majacy] [... years old] majatek property majetny wealthy, property-owning majster master craftsman malarz painter maloletni not of legal age maly small, little malzenstwo marriage malzonek husband malzonka wife malzonków of the married couple [malzonków Kowalskich] [the Kowalski married couple] mapa map marca of March martwo urodzony stillborn matka mother maz husband, man menonici Mennonites meski male metryka certificate, record meza of the husband mial he had miano name mianowicie that means, namely miasteczko small town miasto city miec to have miedzy between miejsce place, locality miejscowosc locality miescie town miesiac month mieszkajacy residing mieszkanie residence mieszkaniec inhabitant, resident, citizen mleczarz dairyman mlodszy younger mlody young [pan mlody] [bridegroom] [panna mloda] [bride] mlodzian (mlodziniec) young man mlyn mill mlynarz miller mniejszy lesser, smaller, shorter modlitwa prayer [dom modlitwy] [house of prayer, synagogue] mojzeszowy Jewish mórg morg (1.2 acres) most bridge
maybe
mumoze to him mularz, murarz mason (bricklayer) mylnie mistakenly, erroneously mysliwy hunter
N
na on, at, around
nad above, upon
nadac to give
nadane was given
najemnik day laborer
najmlodszy youngest
najstarszy oldest, eldest
nalezal belonged to
nalezy belongs
nam to us
naocznie by eyewitness
naoczny swiadek eyewitness
naprzód in front of
narodzony born
narzeczona betrothed, bride
narzeczony betrothed, groom
nas us
nastepny next
nasz our
na teraz temporarily
naturalny illegitimate
natychmiast immediately
nauczyciel schoolteacher, teacher
nawiazanie reference
nazwana named
nazwisko surname
nerwowa goraczka typhoid fever
nic nothing
nich them
nie not, no
niedaleko not far from
niedziela Sunday, week
niegdy (niegdys) deceased, former, the late
niemiecki German
niemowle infant
niepielnoletni not of legal age, minor
nieprawy illegitimate
nieslubny unmarried, illegitimate
nie teraz not yet
niewiadomy unknown
niezamezna unmarried woman
nieznajomy unknown
niezonaty unmarried man
niezyjacy deceased, not living
nigdy never
nim him
niniejszy this, the present
niski low, short
nizszy lower
noc night
nowozaslubiona newlywed bride
nowozaslubiony newlywed groom
nowozency newlyweds
nowy new
numer number
O
o about, concerning ob. see obecnosc presence oberzysta tavern keeper obrzed rite, ceremony obrzezanie circumcision obszar area obydwaj both obywatel inhabitant, citizen ochrzczony christened, baptized od from, since odbyty performed odmienny various odpowiadac to reply odra measles odwrócenie conversion oglasal announced, published ogrodnik poor peasant, crofter, gardener ojciec father ojczym stepfather okazal showed okolo about, around okreg precinct, district okupnik local resident olejów of oil on he ona she onegdajszy day before yesterday oni they opatrzony provided opiekun guardian opis description oplata fee, cost opuchlizna dropsy, edema, swelling oraz and, also osada large settlement osiadly settled (at), residing (at) osiem eight osiemdziesiat(y) eighty (eightieth) osiemnascie eighteen osiemnasty eighteenth osiemset(ny) eight hundred(th) oslabienie weakness ósmy eighth osoba person ospa of smallpox ostatni last, recent oswiadczenie statement oswiadczyl declared, testified otrzymal received owdowiala widowed owdowialy widowered ozenil sie married a wife ozeniony married
P
pan sir, Mr., Lord
pani lady, Mrs.
panna maiden, Miss
panski Lord's
[roku panskiego] [in the year of our Lord]
panstwowy state, of the state
parafia parish
parobek farmworker
pasierb stepchild
pasterz herdsman
pazdziernika of October
pelnoletnosc age of consent, legal age
piatek Friday
piaty fifth
piec five
piecdziesiat(y) fifty (fiftieth)
piecset(ny) five hundred(th)
piekarz baker
pierwszego on the first
pierwszy first
pietnascie fifteen
pietnasty fifteenth
pisac to write
pismo letter, correspondence
plci meskiej male
plci zenskiej female
plec gender, sex
po after
pochowanie burial
pod under
podatek tax
podlug according to
podobny similar
podpis signature
podpisany signed
podrzutek foundling
podwójny duplicate
pogrzeb burial
pogrzebany buried
pól half
pólnoc midnight, north
pológ childbirth, labor
polski Polish
poludnie noon, south
pomorski Pomeranian
poniedzialek Monday
poniewaz because
poprzedni previous
poprzedzil preceded
posiada has, is in possession of
poslubil married
poszukiwanie research, search of
potem after
potok stream
pow. (powiat) district
powinowaty relative
powyzsze previously mentioned
pozostaly left behind, surviving
pozostawil left behind, was survived by
pozwolenie permission
prababa (prababka) great-grandmother
pracowity diligent, hard-working
pradziadek great-grandfather
prawdopodobnie in all likelihood, probably
prawego loza legitimate
prawny legal
prawo law, right
prawoslawny orthodox
prawowity legitimate
prawy right, true
proboszcz parish priest
prosba request
prosimy we request
protestancki Protestant
pruski Prussian
przed in front of, before
przedtem before
przekonal convinced
przeslany sent
przeszly preceding
[roku przeszlego] [of the preceding year]
przez by
przodem before
przodków of ancestors
przy by, with, during
przyczyna cause, reason
przyjaciel friend
przypadek circumstance, occurrence, case
[z bojazni przypadku] [for fear of the circumstance (i.e., baptized on an emergency basis because the child was in danger of dying)]
przyrodni step-, half-, (as in stepbrother, half brother)
przytomnosc presence
przyzwolenie consent
puchlina dropsy, edema, swellling
R
r. (roku) in the year
rabin rabbi
rak cancer
rano in the morning
raz once, time
[drugi raz] [second time]
razem together
reformowany Reformed Protestant, Calvinist
religia religion
religijny religious, of the church
robotnik worker
rocznik yearbook
roczny annual
ród family, clan, descent
rodowód genealogy, pedigree
rodzenstwo sibling
rodzice parents
rodzice chrzestni godparents
rodzina family
rok year
rolnik tenant farmer, husbandman, farmer
rosyjski Russian
równiez also, too
rozwiedziony divorced
rozwód divorce
ruski Russian, Ruthenian, Ukrainian
rybak fisherman
rynek marketplace
rzadowy governmental
rzeka river
rzezak, rzeznik butcher, circumciser (mohel)
rzymsko-katolicki Roman Catholic
S
sa they are
sad court
samy same
sasiad neighbor
setny one hundredth
sie self
siedem seven
siedemdziesiat seventy
siedemnascie seventeen
siedemnasty seventeenth
siedemset(ny) seven hundred(th)
sierota orphan
sierpnia of August
siódmy seventh
siolo village
siostra sister
siostrzenica niece
siostrzeniec nephew
skladal submitted, presented
skonczyl completed
skorowidz index
skurcze cramps
skutek cause
slabosc weakness, sickness
slaby weak
slaski Silesian
slawetny renowned
slawny famous
slowacki Slovak
slownik dictionary
slub marriage, wedding
slubny married, wedded, legitimate
sluga servant
sluzaca servant girl
sluzacy serving
smierc death
snac perhaps
sobie self
sobota Saturday
spazenie burn
spis list, census, index
splodzone begotten, born
spoleczenstwo society
sprzedarz merchant, dealer
sredni cental, middle, average
sroda Wednesday
srodek middle
stan status, condition
starosc old age
starosta perfect
starozakonny Jew (Orthodox)
starszy older, elder
stary old
stawiajacy sie the one presenting himself
stawil sie presented himself, appeared
stelmach cart maker, wheel maker
sto hundred
stolarz cabinetmaker
stolica capital city
strona page
stryj uncle (paternal)
stulecie century
stycznia of January
suchoty consumption, tuberculosis
sukiennik cloth-maker
swiadectwo certificate
swiadek witness
swiety holy
swój (swego) his, her own
swója (swojei) his, her own
syn son
synagoga synagogue
synowa daughter-in-law
synowie sons
szesc six
szescdziesiat(y) sixty (sixtieth)
szescset(ny) six hundred(th)
szesnascie sixteen
szesnasty sixteenth
szewc shoemaker
szkarlatyna scarlet fever
szkola school
szkolnik rabbi's assistant, teacher
szlachecki (szlachety) noble
szlachta nobility
szlub see slub
szósty sixth
szwagier brother-in-law
szwagierka sister-in-law
szynkarz tavern keeper
T
t. (tom) volume
taki such as
takze also
tam there
tamowanie opposition, objection
tamtejszy of that place
tamze in the same place
targownik peddler
tego (tegoz) this, the same
tej (tejze) this, the same
ten (ta, tez) this, the same
tesc father-in-law
tezec tetanus
tkacz weaver
to it, this
tom volume
towarzystwo society
trudniacy sie earning a living
trzeci third
trzy three
trzydziesci thirty
trzydziesty thirtieth
trzymal held, kept
[trzymal do chrztu] [stood as godparents]
trzynascie thirteen
trzynasty thirteenth
trzysetny (trzechsetny) three hundredth
trzysta three hundred
tu here
tudziez also, likewise
tutaj here
tutejszy of this place
twierdza fortress
tydzien week
tygodnie weeks
tylko only
tysiac thousand
tysieczny one thousandth
tytul title, name
U
ubogi poor
ukraijnski Ukrainian
ul. (ulica) street, road
umarl died
umieja they know how
umowa contract, agreement
umrzec to die
uprzejmie politely
urodzenie birth
urodzil sie was born
urodzin of births
urodzony born, wellborn (noble)
urzad office
urzad stanu cywilnego civil registration office
urzednik registrar, officer, clerk
ustny verbal, oral
utrzymajacy sie supporting self (by)
uwagi remarks
W
w in
w. (wieku) century
waleczny courageous, gallant
was you
wasz your
wczesnie early
wczoraj yesterday
wczorajszy yesterday's
wdowa widow
[wdowa po Józefie] [widow of Józef]
wdowiec widower
we in
wedlug according to
wegierski Hungarian
wiadomo it is known
wiadomosc knowledge
wiadomy known
wieczorem in the evening
wiek age, century
wielki great, large
wielmozny powerful noble, magnate
wielu many, much
wierzchni upper
wies village
wikarjusz (wikary) vicar, priest
wiorst (wierst) a measurement of distance (1067 meters)
wioska little village
wlasciciel proprietor, owner
wlóka 30 morgs (36 acres)
wloscianin peasant
wloski Italian
wnuczek grandson
wnuczka granddaughter
wnuk grandchild
woda water
wodna puchlina dropsy, edema
wojenny military
województwo province
wojskowy military
wolny free, not a serf, unmarried
wraz together with, with
wrzesnia of September
wschód east
wsi of the village
wsród in the midst of
wstepnie initially, temporarily
wszakze but
wszystko all
wtedy at that time
wtorek Tuesday
wuj (wujek) uncle (maternal)
wyciag extract
wydany published
wykonal performed, did, accomplished
wyrazenie statement
wyrobnik dayworker, laborer
wysoki high
wyznania religion
wyzszy upper
wzgórze hill
wzmianki remarks
X
xiadz priest
xiega book
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Z
z with, from
[z (Surname +ending)] [maiden name]
za to
zachód west
zaden (zadna) none
zadna none
zagrodnik peasant, farmer who has his farmhouse
zamek palace, castle
zamezna wife, a married woman, married
zamieszkaly residing at
zamieszkanie residence
zapalenie pluc pneumonia
zapowiedz marriage proclamations, banns
zareczona engaged
zareczyny engagement, betrothal
zarwarli they agreed
zarzad administration
zaslubiac to marry
zaslubiony married
zasluzony in servitude, serf
zastepca assistance
zaszlo happened, occurred
zatem then, therefore
zatrudnienie occupation, profession
zawarli they agreed, contracted
zawarte agreed
zawartosc content
zawarty agreed, contracted
zawód occupation, profession
zawsze always
zdrój spring, spa
ze with, from
[ze (surname+ending] [maiden name]
ze that (know that he died)
zebrak beggar
zejsc death
zenska female
zeszly preceding
zezwolenie (zgoda) permission
zgon death
zgromadzony gathered, collected
ziec son-in-law
zielony green
ziemia earth
zloty gold, unit of money
zmarl died, deceased
zniszczenie destruction
znowu again
zobacz see
zolnierz soldier
zona wife
zostajacy residing, staying
zostal was, accomplished, remained, left
zostawil left behind
zrobiony written (in a document)
zrodzony born
zwany called, known as
zwrot application, remark
zycie life, age
zyczenie desire, wish
zydowski Jewish
zyjacy living