B1 · 35 words

Animals and plants in Polish

Wild animals of forest and field, small creatures in the garden, pets and the vet, trees, shrubs and mushrooms — and what you do with them in the garden.

Practise this list

From these 35 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

Masculine animals are animate in Polish: the accusative is the same as the genitive — widzę wilka, mamy chomika. This also holds for a few words that are not animals at all, above all grzyb: znalazłem grzyba. In the plural, though, animals are never masculine personal: wilki, dziki, not wilcy. Gender has to be learnt: wąż “snake” and pająk“spider” are masculineżaba“frog” is feminine

The words

Verb (2)

podlewaćto water (plants)VerbB1

Kto podlewa kwiaty, kiedy jesteś na urlopie?Who waters the plants when you’re on holiday?

imperfective; perfective: podlać (podleję, podlejesz). podlewam, podlewasz.

Conjugation of podlewać →

sadzićto plantVerbB1

Dziadek sadzi pomidory w ogrodzie.Grandad is planting tomatoes in the garden.

imperfective; perfective: posadzić. sadzę, sadzisz.

Noun (m) (17)

wilkwolfNoun (m)B1

W Bieszczadach żyją wilki.Wolves live in the Bieszczady mountains.

masculine, animate: accusative wilka; plural wilki.

jeleńdeer, stagNoun (m)B1

Rano widzieliśmy jelenia na łące.In the morning we saw a stag in the meadow.

masculine, animate: accusative like genitive, jelenia.

dzikwild boarNoun (m)B1

Dziki przychodzą nocą do ogrodów.Wild boar come into the gardens at night.

masculine, animate: accusative dzika, plural dziki.

zająchareNoun (m)B1

Na polu siedział zając.There was a hare sitting in the field.

masculine, animate: zająca. The Easter bunny: zajączek.

jeżhedgehogNoun (m)B1

W naszym ogrodzie mieszka jeż.A hedgehog lives in our garden.

masculine, animate: jeża, plural jeże.

wążsnakeNoun (m)B1

Nie bój się, ten wąż nie jest jadowity.Don’t be afraid, this snake isn’t poisonous.

masculine, animate. ą becomes ę: węża, plural węże. Also a garden hose.

ślimaksnail; slugNoun (m)B1

Po deszczu na ścieżce jest pełno ślimaków.After the rain the path is full of snails.

masculine, animate: accusative ślimaka.

pająkspiderNoun (m)B1

Moja córka boi się pająków.My daughter is afraid of spiders.

masculine, animate: pająka; bać się + genitive.

bocianstorkNoun (m)B1

Na dachu stodoły bociany mają gniazdo.Storks have a nest on the barn roof.

masculine, animate: bociana. In Poland the bird of spring.

wróbelsparrowNoun (m)B1

Wróble siedzą na płocie.Sparrows are sitting on the fence.

masculine, animate. The e drops: wróbla, plural wróble.

chomikhamsterNoun (m)B1

Syn dostał chomika na urodziny.My son got a hamster for his birthday.

masculine, animate: accusative chomika.

ogontailNoun (m)B1

Pies macha ogonem.The dog is wagging its tail.

masculine, inanimate. “To wag”: machać + instrumental.

weterynarzvetNoun (m)B1

Z psem musimy iść do weterynarza.We have to take the dog to the vet.

masculine personal: plural weterynarze.

dąboakNoun (m)B1

Ten dąb ma ponad trzysta lat.This oak is over three hundred years old.

masculine, inanimate. ą becomes ę: dębu, plural dęby.

krzewshrub, bushNoun (m)B1

Wzdłuż płotu posadziliśmy krzewy.We planted shrubs along the fence.

masculine, inanimate. Genitive krzewu.

grzybmushroom; fungusNoun (m)B1

W niedzielę idziemy na grzyby.On Sunday we’re going mushroom picking.

Grammatically animate: znalazłem grzyba. iść na grzyby = to go mushroom picking, a Polish passion.

gatunekspecies; kind, sortNoun (m)B1

W tym lesie żyje wiele gatunków ptaków.Many species of bird live in this forest.

masculine, inanimate. The e drops: gatunku.

Noun (f) (12)

sarnaroe deerNoun (f)B1

Sarna przebiegła przez drogę.A roe deer ran across the road.

wiewiórkasquirrelNoun (f)B1

Wiewiórka zbiera orzechy na zimę.The squirrel is collecting nuts for the winter.

żabafrogNoun (f)B1

Wieczorem nad stawem słychać żaby.In the evening you can hear the frogs by the pond.

mrówkaantNoun (f)B1

Mrówki weszły do kuchni.Ants have got into the kitchen.

kozagoatNoun (f)B1

U dziadków na wsi są kozy i kury.My grandparents in the country have goats and hens.

papugaparrotNoun (f)B1

Papuga sąsiadów umie mówić „dzień dobry”.The neighbours’ parrot can say “good morning”.

łapapawNoun (f)B1

Kot liże łapę.The cat is licking its paw.

smyczlead, leashNoun (f)B1

W parku psy muszą być na smyczy.In the park dogs must be on a lead.

Feminine with a consonant ending: na smyczy.

różaroseNoun (f)B1

Na urodziny dostałam bukiet czerwonych róż.I got a bunch of red roses for my birthday. (a woman speaking)

Genitive plural róż.

sosnapineNoun (f)B1

Nad morzem rosną sosny.Pines grow along the coast.

brzozabirchNoun (f)B1

Przed domem rośnie stara brzoza.An old birch grows in front of the house.

gałąźbranchNoun (f)B1

Wiatr złamał dużą gałąź.The wind broke off a big branch.

Feminine with a consonant ending; ą becomes ę: gałęzi.

Noun (n) (4)

skrzydłowingNoun (n)B1

Ptak ma złamane skrzydło.The bird has a broken wing.

gniazdonestNoun (n)B1

Wysoko na drzewie jest gniazdo.There’s a nest high up in the tree.

Locative w gnieździe. Also a socket.

schroniskoanimal shelter; mountain hutNoun (n)B1

Naszego kota wzięliśmy ze schroniska.We got our cat from the shelter.

In the mountains it is a mountain hut or hostel.

nasionoseedNoun (n)B1

Wiosną sieję nasiona w ogródku.In spring I sow seeds in the garden.

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This list belongs to Nature, weather and animals — five lists and 177 words that can also be practised as a whole.

Hear and recognise these words in the listening trainer