Language Learning

1. Uczę się polskiego

   OO-cheh sheh pohl-SKIE-goh

   I am learning Polish

   Usage

   Telling someone you are studying Polish

   Grammar Note

   "Uczyć się" (to learn) is reflexive and governs the genitive. "Polskiego" is the genitive of "polski"

2. Czy możesz mówić wolniej?

   chih MOH-zhesh MOO-veech VOL-nyey

   Could you speak more slowly?

   Usage

   Asking a speaker to slow down during a conversation

   Grammar Note

   "Wolniej" is the comparative adverb of "wolno" (slowly). Adverb comparatives are simpler than adjective forms

3. Co to znaczy po polsku?

   tsoh toh ZNAH-chih poh POHL-skoo

   What does this mean in Polish?

   Usage

   Asking the meaning of a Polish word or phrase

   Grammar Note

   A language is expressed with "po" + the special adverbial form of the adjective (-u). Note it is "polsku", not the locative "polskim"

4. Jak to się pisze?

   yak toh sheh PEE-sheh

   How do you write that?

   Usage

   Asking how to spell a word or phrase

   Grammar Note

   "Pisać się" (to be written/spelled) is the reflexive form. "Się" gives it a passive meaning

5. Czy możesz to powtórzyć?

   chih MOH-zhesh toh poh-VTOO-zhich

   Could you repeat that?

   Usage

   Asking someone to repeat something you did not catch

   Grammar Note

   "Powtórzyć" is the perfective of "powtarzać" (to repeat). "Czy możesz" = could you (polite request)

6. Nie rozumiem tego słowa

   nyeh roh-ZOO-myem TEH-goh SWOH-vah

   I don't understand this word

   Usage

   Saying you do not know the meaning of a particular word

   Grammar Note

   "Rozumieć" normally takes the accusative, but a negated verb turns its direct object into the genitive (genitive of negation). The affirmative is "Rozumiem to słowo"

7. Jak się to wymawia?

   yak sheh toh vih-MAH-vyah

   How do you pronounce this?

   Usage

   Asking about the pronunciation of a word or phrase

   Grammar Note

   "Wymawiać się" is reflexive, expressing a general or passive action. Common in language-learning contexts

8. Czy mówisz po angielsku?

   chih MOO-veesh poh an-GYEL-skoo

   Do you speak English?

   Usage

   Asking if someone speaks English

   Grammar Note

   Languages are expressed as "po" + adverbial form. E.g. "po polsku" (in Polish), "po angielsku" (in English)

9. Proszę napisać to dla mnie

   PROH-sheh nah-PEE-sach toh dlah MNYEH

   Please write that down for me

   Usage

   Asking someone to write down a word or phrase for you

   Grammar Note

   "Proszę" + infinitive = polite request. "Dla" + genitive marks beneficiary. "Mnie" is genitive/accusative of "ja"

10. Mój polski nie jest jeszcze zbyt dobry

    moy POHL-skee nyeh yest YESH-cheh zbyt DOB-rih

    My Polish is not very good yet

    Usage

    Apologizing for or acknowledging your imperfect Polish

    Grammar Note

    "Mój" (my) agrees with the masculine noun "polski". "Jeszcze" means "yet" or "still" in a time context

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