Polish · Everyday Verbs
"to wait" in Polish: czekać
czekać
To wait in Polish is czekać. The useful forms are czekam (I), czekasz (you, singular) and czeka (he, she or it). Czekać na takes accusative for the person or thing awaited; czekać do marks waiting until a time.
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How to pronounce czekać
Say it
khekatsh
/tʂɛkatɕ/
In czekać, cz is a hard ch-like sound; ć/ci has a soft ch-like sound. The content words in czekać normally use penultimate stress when they have multiple syllables.
"to wait" in Polish: quick reference
| Polish | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| czekać | to wait Infinitive or dictionary expression. | Infinitive or dictionary expression. |
| czekam | I wait First-person singular present. | First-person singular present. |
| czekasz | you wait Informal second-person singular. | Informal second-person singular. |
| czeka | he or she waits Third-person singular. | Third-person singular. |
How to use czekać in real life
- 1Your own action
Czekam na autobus.
I wait for the bus.
Czekam is the form shown for your action in this example.
- 2Speaking to one person
Czekasz na mnie?
Are you waiting for me?
Use czekasz when addressing one person informally; polite address uses third-person grammar.
- 3Another person or situation
Ona czeka do jutra.
She waits until tomorrow.
Czekać na takes accusative for the person or thing awaited; czekać do marks waiting until a time.
Mistakes English speakers make with czekać
Incorrect: Ja czekać.
Correct: Ja czekam.
Conjugate czekać with ja: czekam. A bare infinitive cannot express this statement.
Incorrect: Ty czekam.
Correct: Ty czekasz.
For informal singular ty, the matching form of czekać is czekasz, rather than the first-person form.
Good to know
Czekać na takes accusative for the person or thing awaited; czekać do marks waiting until a time.
Read this practice conversation aloud
Talk about wait
Partner
Podaj przykład użycia tego czasownika.
Give an example using this verb.
You
Czekam na autobus.
I wait for the bus.
Partner
A jak zapytasz drugą osobę?
And how will you ask another person?
You
Czekasz na mnie?
Are you waiting for me?
This is a sample dialogue for reading aloud. Try both parts, then replace a detail with one from your own life.
Explore ChatPal"to wait" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to wait" in Polish
What does czekać mean?
Czekać na takes accusative for the person or thing awaited; czekać do marks waiting until a time.
How do I use czekać with “I”?
The first-person form is czekam. For example: Czekam na autobus. — I wait for the bus.
How do I ask one person using czekać?
Use czekasz for informal singular you. Czekasz na mnie? — Are you waiting for me?
What is the third-person form of czekać?
Use czeka with a singular subject. Ona czeka do jutra. — She waits until tomorrow.
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