Polish · Nature, Animals & Weather
"River" in Polish: rzeka
rzeka
River in Polish is rzeka. Rzeka is feminine; useful forms are rzeki (genitive), rzekę (direct object) and rzeką (instrumental). Rzeka is a river; nad rzeką means beside or by the river.
Identifying or describing river
Rzeka jest szeroka.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce rzeka
Say it
zheka
/ʐɛka/
In rzeka, rz and ż normally share a zh-like sound, with devoicing in some positions. The content words in rzeka normally use penultimate stress when they have multiple syllables.
"River" in Polish: quick reference
| Polish | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| rzeka | river Dictionary form for feminine rzeka. | Dictionary form for feminine rzeka. |
| rzeki | of river Genitive form, used for example after nie ma. | Genitive form, used for example after nie ma. |
| rzeką | with river Instrumental form after z meaning with. | Instrumental form after z meaning with. |
| rzekę | river as a direct object Accusative form, used with many affirmative object-taking verbs. | Accusative form, used with many affirmative object-taking verbs. |
How to use rzeka in real life
- 1Identifying or describing river
Rzeka jest szeroka.
The river is wide.
This sentence uses rzeka to describe river in context.
- 2Using river in daily life
Przekraczamy rzekę po moście.
We cross the river by the bridge.
Notice the form used for rzeka in this practical sentence.
- 3Another use of river
Spacerujemy nad rzeką.
We walk by the river.
The construction shows how rzeka fits a different situation.
Mistakes English speakers make with rzeka
Incorrect: Nie ma rzeka.
Correct: Nie ma rzeki.
After nie ma, rzeka takes the genitive form rzeki.
Incorrect: z rzeka
Correct: z rzeką
When z means with, use the instrumental: z rzeką. Z can also mean from.
Good to know
Rzeka is a river; nad rzeką means beside or by the river.
Read this practice conversation aloud
Describe river in two different contexts
Partner
Ułóż zdanie z tym słowem.
Make a sentence with this word.
You
Rzeka jest szeroka.
The river is wide.
Partner
A teraz podaj inny przykład.
Now give a different example.
You
Przekraczamy rzekę po moście.
We cross the river by the bridge.
This is a sample dialogue for reading aloud. Try both parts, then replace a detail with one from your own life.
Explore ChatPal"River" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "River" in Polish
What grammatical form is rzeka?
Rzeka is feminine. No article is required with rzeka; surrounding words carry its gender and number agreement.
How does rzeka change as a direct object?
The accusative form is rzekę. For comparison, the genitive is rzeki; negation can change the case required by a verb.
How do I use rzeka after “with”?
Use z rzeką. Here z introduces the instrumental form of rzeka, rather than its dictionary form.
What should I know about using rzeka?
Rzeka is a river; nad rzeką means beside or by the river.
Use these words in a conversation
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