Polish · Body & Health
"Pain" in Polish: ból
ból
Pain in Polish is ból. Ból is masculine; useful forms are bólu (genitive), ból (direct object) and bólem (instrumental). Ból is pain as a noun; boli is a form of the verb boleć and does not replace the noun in every construction.
Identifying or describing pain
Ból jest silny.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce ból
Say it
bool
/bul/
In ból, ó has the same vowel as u. The content words in ból normally use penultimate stress when they have multiple syllables.
"Pain" in Polish: quick reference
| Polish | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| ból | pain Dictionary form for masculine ból. | Dictionary form for masculine ból. |
| bólu | of pain Genitive form, used for example after nie ma. | Genitive form, used for example after nie ma. |
| bólem | with pain Instrumental form after z meaning with. | Instrumental form after z meaning with. |
How to use ból in real life
- 1Identifying or describing pain
Ból jest silny.
The pain is strong.
This sentence uses ból to describe pain in context.
- 2Using pain in daily life
Czuję ból w kolanie.
I feel pain in my knee.
Notice the form used for ból in this practical sentence.
- 3Another use of pain
Nie znam przyczyny bólu.
I do not know the cause of the pain.
The construction shows how ból fits a different situation.
Mistakes English speakers make with ból
Incorrect: Nie ma ból.
Correct: Nie ma bólu.
After nie ma, ból takes the genitive form bólu.
Incorrect: z ból
Correct: z bólem
When z means with, use the instrumental: z bólem. Z can also mean from.
Good to know
Ból is pain as a noun; boli is a form of the verb boleć and does not replace the noun in every construction.
Read this practice conversation aloud
Describe pain in two different contexts
Partner
Ułóż zdanie z tym słowem.
Make a sentence with this word.
You
Ból jest silny.
The pain is strong.
Partner
A teraz podaj inny przykład.
Now give a different example.
You
Czuję ból w kolanie.
I feel pain in my knee.
This is a sample dialogue for reading aloud. Try both parts, then replace a detail with one from your own life.
Explore ChatPal"Pain" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Pain" in Polish
What grammatical form is ból?
Ból is masculine. No article is required with ból; surrounding words carry its gender and number agreement.
How does ból change as a direct object?
The accusative form is ból. For comparison, the genitive is bólu; negation can change the case required by a verb.
How do I use ból after “with”?
Use z bólem. Here z introduces the instrumental form of ból, rather than its dictionary form.
What should I know about using ból?
Ból is pain as a noun; boli is a form of the verb boleć and does not replace the noun in every construction.
Use these words in a conversation
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