brat
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brother, religious brother, monk, buddy, friend
/brat/
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A male sibling, a member of a religious order, or an informal term for a close male friend.
Examples
Mój brat mieszka w Warszawie.
My brother lives in Warsaw.
Franek jest bratem w zakonie benedyktynów.
Franek is a brother in the Benedictine order.
Mój brat i ja lubimy grać w szachy.
My brother and I like to play chess.
Nowy brat przybył do naszego klasztoru w zeszłym tygodniu.
The new brother arrived at our monastery last week.
Wieczorem grałem w gry z bratem.
In the evening I played games with my buddy.
Meanings
Usage
Use brat for a male sibling, the basic family sense of the word.
Examples
Mój brat mieszka w Warszawie.
My brother lives in Warsaw.
Czy widziałeś mojego brata w szkole?
Did you see my brother at school?
Rozmawiam z bratem o planach wakacyjnych.
I am talking with my brother about vacation plans.
Dzieci bawiły się razem z bratem.
The children played together with my brother.
Mój brat i ja lubimy grać w szachy.
My brother and I like to play chess.
Common mistakes
Errors often involve case misuse or confusing the sibling sense with the informal buddy sense.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| Mój bratu jest w szkole.
| Mój brat jest w szkole.
|
| On jest mój brat.
| On jest moim bratem.
|
| Brat jest przyjacielem.
| Brat jest moim bratem.
|
Similar words
bratni
braciak
bratostwo
bratnia
braci
bratowicz
Usage
Use brat for a member of a religious order, the monastic sense of the word.
Examples
Franek jest bratem w zakonie benedyktynów.
Franek is a brother in the Benedictine order.
W klasztorze spotkałem brata z Włoch.
In the monastery I met a brother from Italy.
Nasza brat prowadzi codzienne modlitwy.
Our brother leads the daily prayers.
Poprosiłem brata o pomoc przy tłumaczeniu.
I asked the brother for help with the translation.
Nowy brat przybył do naszego klasztoru w zeszłym tygodniu.
The new brother arrived at our monastery last week.
Common mistakes
Mistakes mix case errors with confusing religious brothers with priests or secular brothers.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| Mój brat jest księdzem.
| Mój brat jest zakonnikiem.
|
| Do bratem przychodzę codziennie.
| Do brata przychodzę codziennie.
|
| Brat jest moim przyjacielem.
| Brat jest moim bratem.
|
Similar words
zakonnik
mnich
brat zakonny
brat klasztorny
brat zakonu
brat zakonnic
Usage
Use brat for an informal male friend, the colloquial sense of the word.
Examples
Mój brat zawsze mnie wspiera.
My buddy always supports me.
Spotkaliśmy się z bratem w kawiarni.
We met with my buddy at the café.
Z bratem planujemy wyjazd na koncert.
My buddy and I are planning a trip to the concert.
Dzięki bratu udało się nam wygrać mecz.
Thanks to my buddy, we managed to win the match.
Wieczorem grałem w gry z bratem.
In the evening I played games with my buddy.
Common mistakes
Errors often stem from mixing the informal buddy sense with the sibling sense or using wrong case.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| Mój brat jest moim kumplem.
| Mój brat jest moim przyjacielem.
|
| On jest mój brat.
| On jest mój przyjaciel.
|
| Spotkałem brata w parku.
| Spotkałem przyjaciela w parku.
|
Usage
Use brat for a male sibling, a member of a religious order, or an informal male friend, picking the sense that matches the context.
Common mistakes
The word is often confused between the sibling, religious, and informal friend senses, leading to misuse of case or meaning.
Etymology
From Proto‑Slavic bratrъ, ultimately from Proto‑Indo‑European bʰréh₂tēr, meaning ‘brother’.
FAQ
What does brat mean in Polish?
In Polish brat can mean a brother, a religious brother (a monk), or an informal male friend.
How do you use brat to refer to a sibling?
Use brat when talking about a male sibling, e.g., Mój brat mieszka w Warszawie.
Can brat be used for a monk?
Yes, brat also denotes a member of a religious order, such as a monk.
Is brat appropriate for a close male friend?
In informal contexts brat can refer to a close male friend, similar to kumpel.
What is the plural form of brat?
What is the origin of the word brat?
It comes from Proto‑Slavic bratrъ, ultimately from Proto‑Indo‑European bʰréh₂tēr.
Are there any common mistakes with brat?
Common errors include using the wrong case, such as Mój bratu, or confusing the sibling sense with the informal friend sense.
How is brat declined in Polish?
It follows regular masculine noun declension: brat, brata, bratu, brata, bratem, brat.
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