przerw

Przerw is the genitive plural form of the Polish feminine noun przerwa, which denotes a break, pause, or interruption in time or activity. It occurs in phrases and constructions that require the genitive plural, such as bez przerw (without interruptions) or brak przerw (no interruptions). The form is typically found in formal or semi-formal language, including schedules, descriptions of services, and institutional texts.

The noun przerwa comes from the verb przerwać, meaning to interrupt. As a common Polish noun, przerwa is used across diverse contexts to describe a temporary halt in work, study, travel, broadcasting, sports, or other ongoing processes. In its general plural, the nominative form is przerwy, while the genitive plural is przerw, which is the form used after prepositions like bez, bez przerw, or in phrases such as nie ma przerw (there are no interruptions).

Usage notes and examples help illustrate its function: nie ma przerw w programie (there are no interruptions in the program); przerwy techniczne w liniach produkcyjnych (technical breaks in production lines); awarie can lead to przerwy zamiast planowanych przerw (interruptions instead of scheduled breaks). In everyday speech, przerwy is more common when talking about multiple breaks, while przerwa refers to a single break.

See also: przerwać, przerwa, przerwy reklamowe.