A1 · 30 words

Body and health in Polish

The parts of the body, and how to say that something hurts.

Practise this list

From these 30 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.

More about this list

The most important sentence in this list is built differently from English: Boli mnie głowa. “My head hurts”, literally “the head hurts me”. The body part is the subject, you are in the accusative (mnie), and there is no word for “my”. If several parts hurt, the verb is plural: Bolą mnie nogi. Three words have a plural of their own: ręka → ręce, oko → oczy, ucho → uszy. And usta “mouth” and plecy “back” exist only in the plural.

The words

Verb (2)

bolećto hurt, to acheVerbA1

Co pana boli?Where does it hurt? (to a man)

imperfective; perfective: zaboleć. Almost only in the third person: boli, bolą; the person in pain is in the accusative.

Conjugation of boleć →

czuć sięto feelVerbA1

Dzisiaj czuję się dużo lepiej.I feel much better today.

imperfective; perfective: poczuć się. czuję się, czujesz się.

Noun (3)

ustamouthNounA1

Nie mów z pełnymi ustami!Don’t talk with your mouth full!

Plural only: usta, “with your mouth full” z pełnymi ustami.

plecybackNounA1

Od rana bolą mnie plecy.My back has been hurting since this morning.

Plural only, so the verb is plural too: bolą.

włosyhairNounA1

Moja córka ma długie włosy.My daughter has long hair.

Plural for the hair on your head; a single hair is włos. English “hair” is singular here.

Adjective (4)

zdrowyhealthy, wellAdjectiveA1

Dziecko jest już zdrowe.The child is well again.

choryill, sickAdjectiveA1

Jestem chory, nie idę dzisiaj do pracy.I’m ill, I’m not going to work today.

zmęczonytiredAdjectiveA1

Wieczorem jestem bardzo zmęczona.In the evening I’m very tired. (a woman speaking)

przeziębionyhaving a coldAdjectiveA1

Jestem przeziębiony, mam katar i kaszel.I’ve got a cold, a runny nose and a cough. (a man speaking)

Noun (f) (6)

głowaheadNoun (f)A1

Boli mnie głowa.I have a headache.

rękahand; armNoun (f)A1

Myję ręce przed jedzeniem.I wash my hands before eating.

Hand and arm in one word. Irregular plural: ręce.

nogaleg; footNoun (f)A1

Po długim spacerze bolą mnie nogi.My legs hurt after the long walk.

Leg and foot in one word; strictly, the foot is stopa.

twarzfaceNoun (f)A1

Myję twarz zimną wodą.I wash my face with cold water.

Feminine, although it ends in a consonant.

tabletkatablet, pillNoun (f)A1

Proszę wziąć jedną tabletkę po jedzeniu.Take one tablet after meals.

gorączkafever, temperatureNoun (f)A1

Dziecko ma wysoką gorączkę.The child has a high temperature.

Noun (n) (6)

okoeyeNoun (n)A1

Masz bardzo ładne oczy.You have very beautiful eyes.

A quite different plural: oczy.

uchoearNoun (n)A1

Mojego syna boli ucho.My son has earache.

Plural uszy.

serceheartNoun (n)A1

Serce bije mi bardzo szybko.My heart is beating very fast.

gardłothroatNoun (n)A1

Mam katar i boli mnie gardło.I have a cold and a sore throat.

The throat inside; the neck outside is szyja.

lekarstwomedicineNoun (n)A1

Biorę lekarstwo trzy razy dziennie.I take the medicine three times a day.

ciałobodyNoun (n)A1

Sport jest dobry dla ciała.Sport is good for the body.

Locative w ciele.

Noun (m) (9)

nosnoseNoun (m)A1

Mam katar i czerwony nos.I have a cold and a red nose.

masculine, inanimate.

ząbtoothNoun (m)A1

Boli mnie ząb, muszę iść do dentysty.I’ve got toothache, I need to go to the dentist.

masculine, inanimate. ą becomes ę: zęba, zęby.

brzuchstomach, tummyNoun (m)A1

Po obiedzie boli mnie brzuch.My stomach hurts after lunch.

masculine, inanimate.

palecfinger; toeNoun (m)A1

Ręka ma pięć palców.A hand has five fingers.

masculine, inanimate. The e drops: palca, palce.

lekarzdoctorNoun (m)A1

Muszę iść do lekarza.I have to go to the doctor’s.

masculine, a person. Plural lekarze. You go to a person with do and the genitive.

szpitalhospitalNoun (m)A1

Moja mama leży w szpitalu.My mother is in hospital.

masculine, inanimate. Locative w szpitalu.

katarrunny nose, coldNoun (m)A1

Zimą często mam katar.In winter I often have a cold.

masculine, inanimate. Strictly the runny nose; “a cold” as an illness is often przeziębienie.

kaszelcoughNoun (m)A1

Mam suchy kaszel od tygodnia.I’ve had a dry cough for a week.

masculine, inanimate. The e drops: kaszlu.

bólpainNoun (m)A1

Mam silny ból głowy.I have a bad headache.

masculine, inanimate. The body part follows in the genitive: ból głowy, ból zęba.

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This list belongs to Body and health — five lists and 173 words that can also be practised as a whole.

Hear and recognise these words in the listening trainer