Polish · Everyday Verbs
"to have" in Polish: mieć
mieć
To have in Polish is mieć. The useful forms are mam (I), masz (you, singular) and ma (he, she or it). Mieć takes an accusative object in affirmative sentences; nie mam usually requires genitive.
Your own action
Mam bilet do Krakowa.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce mieć
Say it
mietsh
/mjɛtɕ/
In mieć, ć/ci has a soft ch-like sound. The content words in mieć normally use penultimate stress when they have multiple syllables.
"to have" in Polish: quick reference
| Polish | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| mieć | to have Infinitive or dictionary expression. | Infinitive or dictionary expression. |
| mam | I have First-person singular present. | First-person singular present. |
| masz | you have Informal second-person singular. | Informal second-person singular. |
| ma | he or she has Third-person singular. | Third-person singular. |
How to use mieć in real life
- 1Your own action
Mam bilet do Krakowa.
I have a ticket to Krakow.
Mam is the form shown for your action in this example.
- 2Speaking to one person
Masz dziś czas?
Do you have time today?
Use masz when addressing one person informally; polite address uses third-person grammar.
- 3Another person or situation
Ona ma nowy telefon.
She has a new phone.
Mieć takes an accusative object in affirmative sentences; nie mam usually requires genitive.
Mistakes English speakers make with mieć
Incorrect: Ja mieć.
Correct: Ja mam.
Conjugate mieć with ja: mam. A bare infinitive cannot express this statement.
Incorrect: Ty mam.
Correct: Ty masz.
For informal singular ty, the matching form of mieć is masz, rather than the first-person form.
Good to know
Mieć takes an accusative object in affirmative sentences; nie mam usually requires genitive.
Read this practice conversation aloud
Talk about have
Partner
Podaj przykład użycia tego czasownika.
Give an example using this verb.
You
Mam bilet do Krakowa.
I have a ticket to Krakow.
Partner
A jak zapytasz drugą osobę?
And how will you ask another person?
You
Masz dziś czas?
Do you have time today?
This is a sample dialogue for reading aloud. Try both parts, then replace a detail with one from your own life.
Explore ChatPal"to have" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to have" in Polish
What does mieć mean?
Mieć takes an accusative object in affirmative sentences; nie mam usually requires genitive.
How do I use mieć with “I”?
The first-person form is mam. For example: Mam bilet do Krakowa. — I have a ticket to Krakow.
How do I ask one person using mieć?
Use masz for informal singular you. Masz dziś czas? — Do you have time today?
What is the third-person form of mieć?
Use ma with a singular subject. Ona ma nowy telefon. — She has a new phone.
Use these words in a conversation
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