Niegrzeczny

Niegrzeczny is a Polish adjective meaning “naughty” or “ill-behaved,” used to describe behavior that deviates from expected norms of politeness or discipline. It is formed with the negating prefix nie- attached to grzeczny, which denotes being well-behaved or courteous. The term can describe actions, attitudes, or utterances that are considered improper in a given social context. It is commonly used in reference to children but can also describe adults’ conduct.

In usage, niegrzeczny often appears in phrases such as niegrzeczny chłopiec, niegrzeczne zachowanie, or niegrzeczna odpowiedź. Verbs related to the word include zachować się niegrzecznie (to behave badly) and wykazywać niegrzeczność (to display naughtiness). The adverbial form is niegrzecznie. The word carries a neutral-to-mildly pejorative tone depending on context; it is not the strongest insult but signals disapproval.

Related terms include grzeczny (the opposite: well-behaved, polite) and synonyms such as nieposłuszny or niekulturalny, though these can carry broader or different shades of meaning. The noun niegrzeczność refers to the quality or act of misbehavior.

Etymologically, niegrzeczny is built from grzeczny, a word meaning courteous or well-mannered, with the Polish negating prefix nie-. The term is widely used in everyday Polish, education, parenting, and media, and remains a standard descriptor for non-compliant behavior without implying moral condemnation.