wypad

Wypad is a Polish masculine noun with two common senses in everyday use: an accident or mishap, and an informal outing or short trip. In formal writing, the standard term for an accident is wypadek, while wypad is more colloquial and often appears in spoken language or headlines.

In the sense of an accident, wypad denotes an unexpected or harmful event that disrupts normal activity. It is frequently found in phrases and can be used together with other words to specify the type of incident, such as a car or workplace accident. In standard contexts, wypadek is preferred, and wypad may appear as a shortened or stylistic variant in less formal speech.

In the sense of an outing, a wypad refers to a short trip or excursion, often taken for leisure or recreation. This use is common in casual speech: for example, translating to a “quick weekend trip” or “outing” with friends. The expression krótki wypad za miasto conveys a brief excursion outside the city. In formal contexts, equivalents like wyjazd or wycieczka are typically used instead.

Usage notes: wypad tends to be informal and regional in its connotations. It can occur in both senses within the same sentence, so readers should rely on context to determine the intended meaning. In dictionaries, both senses are listed, with wypadek serving as the more formal term for an accident and wypad capturing the colloquial idea of a trip or excursion. See also wypadek, wyjazd, wycieczka.