Polish · Everyday Verbs
"to take" in Polish: brać
brać
To take in Polish is brać. The useful forms are biorę (I), bierzesz (you, singular) and bierze (he, she or it). Brać has irregular present forms biorę and bierzesz; wziąć is its completed counterpart.
Your own action
Biorę parasol na spacer.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce brać
Say it
bratsh
/bratɕ/
In brać, ć/ci has a soft ch-like sound. The content words in brać normally use penultimate stress when they have multiple syllables.
"to take" in Polish: quick reference
| Polish | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| brać | to take Infinitive or dictionary expression. | Infinitive or dictionary expression. |
| biorę | I take First-person singular present. | First-person singular present. |
| bierzesz | you take Informal second-person singular. | Informal second-person singular. |
| bierze | he or she takes Third-person singular. | Third-person singular. |
How to use brać in real life
- 1Your own action
Biorę parasol na spacer.
I take an umbrella for the walk.
Biorę is the form shown for your action in this example.
- 2Speaking to one person
Bierzesz plecak?
Are you taking a backpack?
Use bierzesz when addressing one person informally; polite address uses third-person grammar.
- 3Another person or situation
Ona bierze prysznic.
She takes a shower.
Brać has irregular present forms biorę and bierzesz; wziąć is its completed counterpart.
Mistakes English speakers make with brać
Incorrect: Ja brać.
Correct: Ja biorę.
Conjugate brać with ja: biorę. A bare infinitive cannot express this statement.
Incorrect: Ty biorę.
Correct: Ty bierzesz.
For informal singular ty, the matching form of brać is bierzesz, rather than the first-person form.
Good to know
Brać has irregular present forms biorę and bierzesz; wziąć is its completed counterpart.
Read this practice conversation aloud
Talk about take
Partner
Podaj przykład użycia tego czasownika.
Give an example using this verb.
You
Biorę parasol na spacer.
I take an umbrella for the walk.
Partner
A jak zapytasz drugą osobę?
And how will you ask another person?
You
Bierzesz plecak?
Are you taking a backpack?
This is a sample dialogue for reading aloud. Try both parts, then replace a detail with one from your own life.
Explore ChatPal"to take" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to take" in Polish
What does brać mean?
Brać has irregular present forms biorę and bierzesz; wziąć is its completed counterpart.
How do I use brać with “I”?
The first-person form is biorę. For example: Biorę parasol na spacer. — I take an umbrella for the walk.
How do I ask one person using brać?
Use bierzesz for informal singular you. Bierzesz plecak? — Are you taking a backpack?
What is the third-person form of brać?
Use bierze with a singular subject. Ona bierze prysznic. — She takes a shower.
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