skromny

Skromny is a Polish adjective describing modesty or simplicity. It is used for people who are unassertive or unpretentious, as well as for things, lifestyles, or appearances that avoid ostentation. The word can refer to personal character (a modest person), conduct (humble behavior), or material conditions (a simple, unadorned setting). The related noun is skromność, meaning modesty or humility, and the adverb is skromnie.

Etymology and cognates: Skromny belongs to a family of Slavic languages with similar terms, such as Russian skromny, Czech skromný, and Ukrainian skromny, all conveying the idea of modesty or restraint. While phonetic forms vary, the semantic core is shared across these languages.

Grammar and usage: In Polish, skromny agrees with the noun in gender and number: skromny (masculine singular), skromna (feminine singular), skromne (neuter or plural). Comparative degree is skromniejszy, and the superlative is najskromniejszy. It can be used attributively (skromny dom, skromny człowiek) or predicatively (Dom jest skromny). It also appears in phrases describing a frugal or restrained lifestyle (skromne warunki, skromne wyposażenie). Adverbial form is skromnie.

See also: The concept relates to modesty and humility in Polish culture and language, and is connected to related terms such as skromność and skromnie in usage and derivation.

Overall, skromny is a common, neutral descriptor in Polish for modesty, simplicity, and restraint, applicable to people, behavior, and objects.