zapachach

Zapachach is the locative plural form of the Polish noun zapach, meaning smells or fragrances. It is used after locative-case prepositions such as w, o or przy to refer to smells in a general or atmospheric sense. For example, w zapachach lasu describes the smells of the forest, and o zapachach kwiatów w ogrodzie refers to the scents of flowers in the garden.

Origin and form: The word is derived from zapach with the usual locative plural ending -ach. The base zapach itself denotes an odor or fragrance, and the locative plural form signals a discussion of smells in a particular place or context. Polish uses this form primarily in descriptive or literary language.

Usage and nuance: Zapachach is typically employed to evoke atmosphere or setting rather than to name specific odors. It emphasizes the collective character of environmental scents, such as the air around a place or season, rather than listing individual fragrances. In everyday speech, speakers more often refer to particular smells (zapachy) or describe them with adjectives, but zapachach appears in prose and poetry to convey mood and ambience.

Examples:

- W zapachach lasu unosi się świeża ziemia i igliwie. (In the smells of the forest there is the fresh earth and needles.)

- O zapachach kwiatów w ogrodzie rozmawiano długo. (People talked for a long time about the scents of the flowers in the garden.)

See also: zapach, zapachy, węch, aromat.