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Polish · Insults & Idiots

szpaner

SHPAH-nehr · /ˈʂpa.nɛr/

Show-off / poser — all flash, borrowed money.

2/5 Bar-safe

coarse but friendly; fine among acquaintances

Literally

"one who shows off (from German 'spannen')"

Word-for-word — which is rarely what it means.

How to use it

The peacock: a szpaner "szpanuje" — revs the leased BMW, flashes the logo, picks up the tab loudly and Venmo-requests you quietly. "Ale szpan" (what flash) covers the objects themselves. Bar-safe 2, dismissive rather than aggressive, with a distinctly Polish edge: in a culture allergic to pretension, being called a szpaner means you've been seen through. The younger synonym is "pozer"; the disease is universal.

Heard in the wild

Kupił zegarek na raty, żeby szpanować przed dziewczynami. Szpaner.

He bought a watch on installments to flash at girls. Poser.

Where it lands

Poland (universal)

Quick answers

What does "szpaner" mean?
In Polish, "szpaner" means "Show-off / poser — all flash, borrowed money.". Literally it's "one who shows off (from German 'spannen')". The peacock: a szpaner "szpanuje" — revs the leased BMW, flashes the logo, picks up the tab loudly and Venmo-requests you quietly. "Ale szpan" (what flash) covers the objects themselves. Bar-safe 2, dismissive rather than aggressive, with a distinctly Polish edge: in a culture allergic to pretension, being called a szpaner means you've been seen through. The younger synonym is "pozer"; the disease is universal.
Is "szpaner" offensive?
It's on the mild end — 2/5 (Bar-safe) on the Punch-o-Meter. coarse but friendly; fine among acquaintances.
How do you pronounce "szpaner"?
Say it "SHPAH-nehr" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: ˈʂpa.nɛr.

Related in Polish

skurwysyn skoor-VIH-sin Son of a bitch — a hard, aimed insult with the kurwa root inside. ty kurwo tih KOOR-voh You whore / you bitch — the aimed kurwa, a different animal entirely. debil DEH-beel Moron / idiot — the standard hard 'you idiot.' baran BAH-rahn Idiot / blockhead — the barnyard 'you idiot.' dupek DOO-pek Asshole / jerk — an unpleasant, self-important man. chuj KHOOY Dick / prick — the anatomical heavy hitter, and a productive root of its own.

The same idea, elsewhere

Via concepts like "Show-off".

how to say "Show-off" →

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