Dom ukraiński dla młodych piłkarzy we Wrocławiu

What does “uchodźcy” mean in Polish?

This Wrocław news report describes a building turned into a Dom ukraiński (Ukrainian House) for uchodźcy, refugees. The singular is uchodźca, and it comes from the verb uchodzić, “to flee, to get away,” so an uchodźca is literally “one who flees.” The story follows a group of young Ukrainian footballers who arrived for a tournament on the first day of the war and could not go home.

The word became part of daily Polish life after 2022, as Poland took in millions fleeing Ukraine. Around it you’ll hear wojna (war), schronienie (shelter), and fundacja (foundation, charity). One word unlocks a whole chapter of recent Polish news and neighbourly solidarity.