Polish · Everyday Verbs
"to live" in Polish: mieszkać / żyć
mieszkać / żyć
To live in Polish is mieszkać / żyć. The useful forms are mieszkam (I), mieszkasz (you, singular) and mieszka (he, she or it). Mieszkać means reside somewhere; żyć is to be alive or live one's life more broadly.
Your own action
Mieszkam w Krakowie.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce mieszkać / żyć
Say it
mieshkatsh
/mjɛʂkatɕ/
In mieszkać, sz is a hard sh-like sound; ć/ci has a soft ch-like sound. The content words in mieszkać normally use penultimate stress when they have multiple syllables.
"to live" in Polish: quick reference
| Polish | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| mieszkać | to live Infinitive or dictionary expression. | Infinitive or dictionary expression. |
| mieszkam | I live First-person singular present. | First-person singular present. |
| mieszkasz | you live Informal second-person singular. | Informal second-person singular. |
| mieszka | he or she lives Third-person singular. | Third-person singular. |
How to use mieszkać / żyć in real life
- 1Your own action
Mieszkam w Krakowie.
I live in Krakow.
Mieszkam is the form shown for your action in this example.
- 2Speaking to one person
Gdzie mieszkasz?
Where do you live?
Use mieszkasz when addressing one person informally; polite address uses third-person grammar.
- 3Another person or situation
Ona mieszka z rodzicami.
She lives with her parents.
Mieszkać means reside somewhere; żyć is to be alive or live one's life more broadly.
Mistakes English speakers make with mieszkać / żyć
Incorrect: Ja mieszkać.
Correct: Ja mieszkam.
Conjugate mieszkać with ja: mieszkam. A bare infinitive cannot express this statement.
Incorrect: Ty mieszkam.
Correct: Ty mieszkasz.
For informal singular ty, the matching form of mieszkać is mieszkasz, rather than the first-person form.
Good to know
Mieszkać means reside somewhere; żyć is to be alive or live one's life more broadly.
Read this practice conversation aloud
Talk about live
Partner
Podaj przykład użycia tego czasownika.
Give an example using this verb.
You
Mieszkam w Krakowie.
I live in Krakow.
Partner
A jak zapytasz drugą osobę?
And how will you ask another person?
You
Gdzie mieszkasz?
Where do you live?
This is a sample dialogue for reading aloud. Try both parts, then replace a detail with one from your own life.
Explore ChatPal"to live" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to live" in Polish
What does mieszkać mean?
Mieszkać means reside somewhere; żyć is to be alive or live one's life more broadly.
How do I use mieszkać with “I”?
The first-person form is mieszkam. For example: Mieszkam w Krakowie. — I live in Krakow.
How do I ask one person using mieszkać?
Use mieszkasz for informal singular you. Gdzie mieszkasz? — Where do you live?
What is the third-person form of mieszkać?
Use mieszka with a singular subject. Ona mieszka z rodzicami. — She lives with her parents.
Use these words in a conversation
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