How Do You Say Brother and Sister in Polish

If you are of Polish descent, you probably know how to say brother and sister in Polish. And if you have Polish relatives, or close Polish friends, learning how to say those two words will come in more handy than you can imagine!

Saying Brother in Polish

So, how do you say brother in Polish?

A brother in Polish is simply called brat, and this is used to describe your male sibling and sometimes even your male cousin (although some people use the more precise wording brat cioteczny or brat wujeczny, when they want to specify the side of the family the cousin is from). A diminutive braciszek is used usually by children or in order to announce a younger brother.

As for the word brother-in-law in Polish - szwagier is used. 

Saying Sister in Polish

If you’re wondering how to say sister in Polish, the answer is - siostra.

Just like for brat, siostra can be used to describe both your sibling or your female cousin, and just like brat - you would use siostra cioteczna or siostra wujeczna to specify the side of the family that particular cousin is from. A diminutive for siostra is siostrzyczka, and it is also mostly used by children for their siblings. 

If you were to announce your sister-in-law, you would call them your szwagierka or bratowa. 

Celebrating Polish Brother and Sisters

The common word for both brothers and sisters - siblings - in Polish is rodzeństwo. So, when you want to ask someone if they have any siblings, you will use the wording: ‘’Czy masz rodzeństwo?’’. 

Also, don’t be surprised if you come across people calling someone their brat or siostra, even if they are not related. Sometimes, close friends or people bound by certain circumstances like to refer to each other that way. 

1. April worldwide marks Dzień Siostry i Brat (Brother’s and Sister’s Day), and although it is not something that is widely celebrated in Poland, it won’t hurt to call up your sibling on that day. 

And, why not - maybe send them a cute little gift from our shop?