zepsuty

Zepsuty is a Polish adjective meaning broken, damaged, or faulty. It is used to describe objects that no longer function properly or are in a defective state. The word comes from the verb zepsuć, meaning to spoil or ruin, with the prefix ze- indicating a completed or negative result.

Grammatical notes: Zepsuty inflects for gender and number to agree with the noun it modifies. Common forms include zepsuty (masculine singular), zepsuta (feminine singular), and zepsute (neuter singular or plural, depending on the noun and context). In predicative constructions, the adjective often precedes or follows the noun, as in Samochód zepsuł się, literally “The car broke down,” or Zepsuty samochód, “a broken car.”

Usage: The adjective covers a range of failures, from mechanical and electrical malfunctions to general defectiveness. Examples include zepsuty samochód (a broken car), zepsuta pralka (a broken washing machine), and zepsute urządzenie (a faulty device). It can also be used metaphorically to describe non-physical states, such as zepsuty interes (a ruined business) or, less commonly, to refer to spoiled mood, as in zepsuć humor.

Related forms and synonyms: Uszkodzony is a closely related term meaning damaged or defective, often used in technical contexts. The verb zepsuć contrasts with psuć (to spoil in an ongoing or habitual sense) in aspect, where zepsuć denotes a completed spoilage.

See also: zepsuć, psuć, uszkodzony. The word remains common in everyday Polish and is widely understood across dialects.