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wife

Source:*ženaProto-Slavic · “woman, wife”certain

English

wife

Polish

żona
ˈʐɔna
Cognate· distant (Indo-European)Same source — the sound laws connect them.

In all five languages

BCS script
  • Russian
    жена́žena
    ʐɨˈnainherited
  • Ukrainian
    дружи́наdružyna
    druˈʒɪnadifferent word · Proto-Slavic *drugъ 'companion'

    Also жі́нка; дружи́на once meant a prince's retinue.

  • Polish
    żona
    ˈʐɔnainherited
  • Czech
    žena
    ˈʒɛnainherited

    Also 'woman'; manželka is the formal 'wife'.

  • Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian
    ženaжена
    ˈʒenainherited

    Also 'woman'; supruga is the formal 'wife'.

  • English
    wife

    Distant English relative: queen — Queen, Greek gynē and *žena go back to one Indo-European word for 'woman'.

Sound laws at work

⚠ Watch out

  • Russian дружи́на “(historical) a prince's retinue; a volunteer squad”Ukrainian дружи́на “wife; (historical) a prince's retinue”Polish drużyna “team (sports); troop, squad”

    Russian 'wife' is жена́; Ukrainian and Russian 'team' is кома́нда; Polish 'wife' is żona.