Krajach

Krajach is the locative plural form of the Polish noun kraj. In Polish, kraj denotes a land, region, or country, and krajach is used after prepositions to indicate location within multiple regions or lands, for example: w krajach skandynawskich means in the Scandinavian lands, or w krajach rozwiniętych means in developed countries.

Etymology: The word derives from Proto-Slavic *krajъ*, related to the idea of an edge, border, or territory. Its cognates include Russian край (kray) and Ukrainian край (kray), which share the sense of a border area or a defined region that can function as a land or country.

Usage and nuance: Krajach tends to refer to a collective or broad area, as opposed to kraj (singular), which denotes a single land or country, or kraje (nominative plural), which names several lands in a list. It often appears in geographical, historical, or literary contexts to evoke vast regions rather than precise locations. The form is typically found in phrases introduced by prepositions such as w krajach, within or about the lands or regions.

Translations: Depending on context, English renderings include “in the lands,” “in the regions,” or “in the countries.”

Related terms: kraj (singular), kraje (nominative plural), kraina (region or land in Polish and other Slavic languages), and Krai (cognate used in Russian or Ukrainian contexts).