walka

Walka is a Polish noun meaning fight, struggle, or contest. It can describe a direct physical clash between individuals or groups, such as a duel or wrestling match, as well as more abstract struggles, such as a political campaign, social advocacy, or personal perseverance. In Polish grammar, walka is feminine (singular walka, plural walki) and is used with a variety of modifiers; the related verb is walczyć, meaning to fight or to struggle.

In sports and martial arts, walka denotes the act of combat in disciplines ranging from wrestling (zapaśnictwo) and boxing to mixed martial arts, with qualifiers such as walka wręcz (hand-to-hand combat) and walka na pięści (fist fighting). In political and social discourse, the term occurs in phrases like walka o niepodległość (fight for independence) or walka klasowa (class struggle). In literature and film, walka is frequently used to describe the struggle between opposing forces, such as good against evil, or human resilience in the face of adversity.

The word has long-standing usage in Polish and is found in many Slavic languages with related terms for conflict. While it can carry neutral or descriptive connotations, it is also found in more charged rhetoric, depending on context. Related terms include konflikt, bój, potyczka, and zmaganie.