Nielegalnie

Nielegalnie is an adverb in the Polish language meaning "in an illegal manner" or "illegally." It is derived from the adjective legalny (legal) with the negation prefix nie-, forming a word used to indicate that an action violates law, regulations, or formal rules. The term functions to modify verbs and is common in everyday speech, journalism, and legal writing.

In usage, nielegalnie describes the manner of conduct rather than the conduct itself; for the noun form of illegality, one would use nielegalność or illegalność. It appears before or after the verb, with examples: "Sprzedawali podróbki nielegalnie" or "Nielegalnie sprzedawali podróbki." Other examples include "kierował pojazdem nielegalnie" and "udostępnianie plików nielegalnie." In formal language, speakers may prefer phrases like "niezgodnie z prawem" or "niezgodne z prawem" to emphasize illegality without repeating "nielegalnie."

In legal and media contexts, nielegalnie is used to report or describe actions that violate law, such as smuggling, copyright infringement, or undocumented residence. It is often contrasted with legal, lawful, or authorized actions.