Rodzina

Today's word is "rodzina" (roh-jee-nah) which means "family". Family has special meaning all over the world, but is an especially sacred concept in Polish society. Familial bonds tend to keep children close to home, and many towns and villages house multiple generations of families together.

In Poland, every third child grows up in a family with 3 or more children. Families traditionally assemble over meals and feasts, especially during the holidays, strengthening the link between food, culture, tradition, and family.

The nuclear family consists of "matka" (mat-kah) mother, "ojciec" (oy-chets) father, "syn" (sin) son, and "córka" (tsoor-kah) daughter. The extended family adds "babcia" (bob-cha) grandmother, "dziadek" (jah-dek) grandfather, "ciocia" (cho-cha) aunt, and "wujek" (voo-yek) uncle.