Polish · Emotions & Descriptions
"Bad" in Polish: zły
zły
Bad in Polish is zły. Use zły for a masculine singular noun, zła for feminine and złe for neuter. Zły can mean bad or angry; context such as zły pomysł or zły na kogoś selects the meaning.
Masculine subject
To był zły wybór.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce zły
Say it
zvih
/zwɨ/
In zły, ł sounds like English w; y is distinct from the vowel i. The content words in zły normally use penultimate stress when they have multiple syllables.
"Bad" in Polish: quick reference
| Polish | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| zły | bad Masculine nominative singular. | Masculine nominative singular. |
| zła | bad Feminine nominative singular. | Feminine nominative singular. |
| złe | bad Neuter nominative singular. | Neuter nominative singular. |
How to use zły in real life
- 1Masculine subject
To był zły wybór.
That was a bad choice.
Zły agrees with the masculine subject in this sentence.
- 2Feminine subject
Pogoda jest zła.
The weather is bad.
Use zła with this feminine subject.
- 3Neuter subject
To jest złe rozwiązanie.
That is a bad solution.
The ending in złe agrees with this neuter subject.
Mistakes English speakers make with zły
Incorrect: Pogoda jest zły.
Correct: Pogoda jest zła.
The feminine subject needs zła, rather than masculine zły.
Incorrect: To jest zły rozwiązanie.
Correct: To jest złe rozwiązanie.
The neuter subject needs złe, rather than masculine zły.
Good to know
Zły can mean bad or angry; context such as zły pomysł or zły na kogoś selects the meaning.
Read this practice conversation aloud
Describe bad in context
Partner
Jak to opiszesz?
How would you describe it?
You
To był zły wybór.
That was a bad choice.
Partner
A drugi przykład?
And another example?
You
Pogoda jest zła.
The weather is bad.
This is a sample dialogue for reading aloud. Try both parts, then replace a detail with one from your own life.
Explore ChatPal"Bad" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Bad" in Polish
When do I use zły?
Zły can mean bad or angry; context such as zły pomysł or zły na kogoś selects the meaning.
What is the feminine form of zły?
Use zła. For example: Pogoda jest zła. — The weather is bad.
What is the neuter form of zły?
Use złe. For example: To jest złe rozwiązanie. — That is a bad solution.
Can I use zły unchanged with every noun?
No. zły, zła and złe show nominative singular agreement. Other cases of zły may require further changes.
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