Szafka

Szafka is a common Polish noun referring to a cabinet, cupboard, or small storage furniture piece. Typically a szafka is a freestanding unit or part of built-in furniture that contains doors, drawers, or shelves used to store household items. The term is a diminutive form of szafa, meaning wardrobe or closet, and it generally implies a smaller or more specialized piece of storage than a full wardrobe.

Etymology and usage notes: Szafka derives from szafa with the diminutive suffix -ka, signaling a smaller item. In everyday speech, szafka is paired with qualifiers to denote its function or location, such as szafka łazienkowa (bathroom cabinet), szafka kuchenna (kitchen cabinet), or szafka nocna (nightstand). The form can be pluralized and combined with descriptors to describe more specific units, for example szafka pod zlewem (under-sink cabinet) or szafka RTV (TV stand).

Common types: In kitchens, szafka kuchenna comes in base (szafka kuchenna stojąca) and wall variants (szafka wisząca). In bathrooms, szafka łazienkowa provides storage beneath or around a sink. Living areas feature szafka RTV or side cabinets for media equipment. Bedrooms may include szafka nocna beside the bed. The design and materials vary widely, including wood, laminated particleboard, metal, and glass, ranging from traditional to contemporary styles. Some szafki are freestanding, while others are integrated into cabinetry as built-ins.

See also: szafa (wardrobe), furniture, storage furniture.