Niegrzeczne

Niegrzeczne is a Polish adjective formed with the prefix nie- plus grzeczny, meaning not polite or badly behaved. It describes behavior, actions, or people who do not follow social norms of courtesy or discipline. The positive counterpart is grzeczny, meaning well-behaved or polite.

The form appears in several inflectional patterns: niegrzeczny (masculine singular), niegrzeczna (feminine singular), and niegrzeczne (neuter singular or plural for non-masculine nouns). In masculine personal plural the form is niegrzeczni. In practice, niegrzeczne is commonly used with neuter nouns or with feminine/plural nouns.

Usage of niegrzeczne is common in everyday language, especially when talking about children or students, but it can also describe adults when their behavior is inappropriate. It is generally milder than harsher insults and is frequently found in educational contexts, media reports about misconduct, or parental guidance. Phrases include niegrzeczne zachowanie (naughty or inappropriate behavior) and niegrzeczne dziecko (a naughty child).

The corresponding noun is niegrzeczność (naughtiness or lack of politeness). Related terms include the antonym grzeczny and the adverbial form niegrzecznie. See also nieuprzejmy for a related but broader notion of rude behavior.