# textures



## radosna

Hi everyone! 

A thread in the English forum sparked a reminder of one of my many areas in which I lack vocabulary in Polish.

I often like to talk about textures in the realm of clothing and also food.  I think talking about textures in food is particularly tricky in foreign languages and I never really hear about it in Polish other than foods that would be described as "chrupiące" for example. On more than one occasion, I've tried to describe something about the feel/consistency/texture of a certain food but I couldn't even find an equivalent for the word texture in Polish. I know you have the word "tekstura" but I don't believe it's applicable in the realm of clothing and food, correct? Perhaps "konsystencja" is applicable in the realm of food? I don't know.

Help!!!

Food Examples:
-- "I don't mind the taste of bread pudding but I have a hard time with the texture (consistency) of it."  (You can use something other than bread pudding since that's not very Polish."
Do you have any Polish equivalents to describe the following?
 -- lumpy, mushy, flaky, greasy

Clothing Examples:
-- "I love the texture of that sweater. I love how it feels."
How would you describe the texture of the following fabrics?
-- corduroy
-- denim
-- velvet
-- satin, silk
-- wool

Feel free to answer any part of this if its too cumbersome to answer all my questions. Thanks!


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## LilianaB

Hi, Radosna. I can tell you that "konsystencja" will be the right word in the first sentence you wanted to use it  -- in reference to food. It is a little different than _texture_, but it would fit. As to the rest, I am really not sure. In my experience Polish people don't talk that much about various textures, but you could so some research among more contemporary Polish-speakers. Good luck with Polish.  _Greasy_ will be _tłusty_ -- I  just remembered. _Miękki _-- soft, like silk.


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## radosna

Thanks for your input, LilianaB!  I appreciate it.


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## LilianaB

Puszysty - fluffy.


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## dreamlike

I see no reason why you shouldn't use "tekstura" in the realm of clothing -- if you don't want to specify what is it that you like about the texture of some garment, you could simply say "Podoba mi się tekstura tego swetra" -- it would get the point across, provided that your speaker is familiar with the term "tekstura" 

You're correct in thinking that "konsystencja" is the word to use in reference to food.


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## Ben Jamin

dreamlike said:


> I see no reason why you shouldn't use "tekstura" in the realm of clothing -- if you don't want to specify what is it that you like about the texture of some garment, you could simply say "Podoba mi się tekstura tego swetra" -- it would get the point across, provided that your speaker is familiar with the term "tekstura"
> 
> You're correct in thinking that "konsystencja" is the word to use in reference to food.



Have you ever heard people using tekstura in Polish?


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## dreamlike

Ben Jamin said:


> Have you ever heard people using tekstura in Polish?


Yes, I have, on many occasions. I even tend to use it this way myself (last time I remember I said to my Mother "Nie podoba mi się tekstura tego ręcznika, jest taki szorstki").
What about Norway... ?


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## radosna

Ooh! "Szorstki"!  Good texture word!   Thanks for your examples, dreamlike.

"Puszysty" is a great word, too, LilianaB!

I'd like to find some other words to describe the feel of silk & satin besides soft, though.  Because it's not just soft -- it's also very smooth. I know "gładki" can be translated into smooth but is that appropriate here?  And going further with this -- can this transfer into the realm of food/drinks.  Often, when we talk about alcohol and sometimes coffee & other drinks (as well as food), we say something like, "It's really smooth going down."


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## dreamlike

"It's really smooth going down" would translate into Polish as "Łatwo/gładko wchodzi", but it's a bit slanghish 

By the way, "gładki" is yet another texture word for you to learn


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## LilianaB

radosna said:


> Ooh! "Szorstki"!  Good texture word!   Thanks for your examples, dreamlike.
> 
> "Puszysty" is a great word, too, LilianaB!
> 
> I'd like to find some other words to describe the feel of silk & satin besides soft, though.  Because it's not just soft -- it's also very smooth. I know "gładki" can be translated into smooth but is that appropriate here?  And going further with this -- can this transfer into the realm of food/drinks.  Often, when we talk about alcohol and sometimes coffee & other drinks (as well as food), we say something like, "It's really smooth going down."



Yes, _puszysty_ is really a great word -- it is onomatopoeic, sort of -- I just like the way it sounds. _Śliski_ -- also a nice word -- slippery, but it also describes the quality of such fabric as silk


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## radosna

No właśnie -- śliski!  

I completely forgot about that word. That's perfect for describing satin & silk. This is great! I'll be an expert on textures by the time we reach silence on this thread!


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## LilianaB

_Kruchy_ -- about a cake -- _one that crumbles_. _Przeźroczysty_ -- transparent -- about fabrics like chiffone.


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## dreamlike

I honestly don't think that "przezroczysty" is the quality that describes textures -- they are about touch sensations, and I can't of any particular sensation when I touch something that is transparent.


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## ewie

Isn't transparent chiffon _cellophane_? (Just pulling your leg, Lil.)


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## LilianaB

Only if you are a flower.


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## kknd

dreamlike said:


> Yes, I have, on many occasions. I even tend to use it this way myself (last time I remember I said to my Mother "Nie podoba mi się tekstura tego ręcznika, jest taki szorstki").
> What about Norway... ?


tekstura kojarzy mi się niemal wyłącznie z grafiką komputerową – tam nie oznacza ona nierówności, ale pokrycie danej powierzchni jakąś grafiką. w tym kontekście osobiście spotykałem się do tej pory bardziej z _fakturą_ niż _teksturą_; wydaje się, że samy wyraz „tekstura” ma bardzo wiele znaczeń, przez co ”faktura” wydaje się nieco bardziej jednoznaczna, choć chyba nie jest zupełnym synonimem (ktoś może to rozwinąć, jeśli ma ochotę! ). o ręczniku sam powiedziałbym raczej „nie podoba mi się ten ręcznik, jest taki szorstki” bez używania ani jednego, ani drugiego słowa… (w ostateczności użyłbym zapewne odruchowo wyrazu „meteriał”).


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## LilianaB

_Kosmaty_ -- I am not sure if it is a contemporary word. I means hairy, or covered with fur in some sort of disarrey. Some Sesame Street characters may qualify as _kosmate_.  As to przeźroczysty -- it has a crispiness to it, like chiffon or ice. It is not 100% equivalent to transparent. I think it is more a crispy and transparent, although it can be used just as transparent, as well.


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## radosna

kknd,

I found your answer interesting.  I'm not familiar with texture in the contest of computer graphics. (I'm not saying you're wrong. Just that I'm personally not familiar with it.)  I'm talking about the first two definitions described in the following Oxford American Dictionary entry:

texture |ˈtɛkstʃə|nounthe feel, appearance, or consistency of a surface or a substance _: skin texture and tone __| the cheese is firm in texture _| _the different colors and textures of bark._• the character or appearance of a textile fabric as determined by the arrangement and thickness of its threads _: a dark shirt of rough texture._• Art the tactile quality of the surface of a work of art.• the quality created by the combination of the different elements in a work of music or literature _: a closely knit symphonic texture.

(I am familiar with its usage in music & literature but I'm not concerned with it in the context of this thread.)


Using the word "materiał" is a good way of clarifying its usage in the context of clothes & fabrics though. 

LilianaB, thanks for another interesting texture word. _


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## LilianaB

_Kudłaty _will be similar to _kosmaty_ (maybe more contemporary) -- a dog for example, such as Chiau Chiau, or a woolen scarf or a mohair sweater.


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## dreamlike

Just for the record, Kknd's post made me realise that I've confused "tekstura" with "faktura" -- the latter is the word that I could in a conversation and expect to be understood, with "tektura" it could've been more difficult. 

Thanks, Kknd


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## kknd

dreamlike said:


> Just for the record, Kknd's post made me realise that I've confused "tekstura" with "faktura" -- the latter is the word that I could in a conversation and expect to be understood, with "tektura" it could've been more difficult.
> 
> Thanks, Kknd


no problemo, mate! (i hope that you are aware that _tekstura_, "texture" should be still correct in mentioned context.) as for other interesting meanings of "texture" see also tessitura.


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