Polish · Everyday Verbs
"to swim" in Polish: pływać
pływać
To swim in Polish is pływać. The useful forms are pływam (I), pływasz (you, singular) and pływa (he, she or it). Pływać describes swimming generally or repeatedly; płynąć describes movement in one direction through water.
Your own action
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How to pronounce pływać
Say it
pvihvatsh
/pwɨvatɕ/
In pływać, ł sounds like English w; ć/ci has a soft ch-like sound; y is distinct from the vowel i. The content words in pływać normally use penultimate stress when they have multiple syllables.
"to swim" in Polish: quick reference
| Polish | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| pływać | to swim Infinitive or dictionary expression. | Infinitive or dictionary expression. |
| pływam | I swim First-person singular present. | First-person singular present. |
| pływasz | you swim Informal second-person singular. | Informal second-person singular. |
| pływa | he or she swims Third-person singular. | Third-person singular. |
How to use pływać in real life
- 1Your own action
Pływam na basenie.
I swim at the pool.
Pływam is the form shown for your action in this example.
- 2Speaking to one person
Pływasz w jeziorze?
Do you swim in the lake?
Use pływasz when addressing one person informally; polite address uses third-person grammar.
- 3Another person or situation
Ona pływa dwa razy w tygodniu.
She swims twice a week.
Pływać describes swimming generally or repeatedly; płynąć describes movement in one direction through water.
Mistakes English speakers make with pływać
Incorrect: Ja pływać.
Correct: Ja pływam.
Conjugate pływać with ja: pływam. A bare infinitive cannot express this statement.
Incorrect: Ty pływam.
Correct: Ty pływasz.
For informal singular ty, the matching form of pływać is pływasz, rather than the first-person form.
Good to know
Pływać describes swimming generally or repeatedly; płynąć describes movement in one direction through water.
Read this practice conversation aloud
Talk about swim
Partner
Podaj przykład użycia tego czasownika.
Give an example using this verb.
You
Pływam na basenie.
I swim at the pool.
Partner
A jak zapytasz drugą osobę?
And how will you ask another person?
You
Pływasz w jeziorze?
Do you swim in the lake?
This is a sample dialogue for reading aloud. Try both parts, then replace a detail with one from your own life.
Explore ChatPal"to swim" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to swim" in Polish
What does pływać mean?
Pływać describes swimming generally or repeatedly; płynąć describes movement in one direction through water.
How do I use pływać with “I”?
The first-person form is pływam. For example: Pływam na basenie. — I swim at the pool.
How do I ask one person using pływać?
Use pływasz for informal singular you. Pływasz w jeziorze? — Do you swim in the lake?
What is the third-person form of pływać?
Use pływa with a singular subject. Ona pływa dwa razy w tygodniu. — She swims twice a week.
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