A1 · 36 words

I, you, sir — and question words in Polish

The pronouns, polite address and the words you ask questions with.

Practise this list

From these 36 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.

More about this list

Polish usually drops the subject pronoun, because the verb already shows the person: Mieszkam w Berlinie. is “I live in Berlin” with no ja at all. When the pronoun does appear, it is stressed, often in contrast: Ja pracuję, a ona się uczy. English “you” splits into ty, wy and the polite pan, pani, państwo — which are nouns, “sir”, “madam”, with the verb in the third person. “They” is oni as soon as a man is in the group, otherwise one. The question words come first, as in English, but with no “do”.

The words

Pronoun (24)

jaIPronounA1

Ja jestem Ania, a to jest mój brat.I am Ania, and this is my brother.

Only used when stressed. Forms: mnie, mi, mną — the Polish “me”.

tyyou (one person, informal)PronounA1

A ty skąd jesteś?And where are you from?

Forms: ciebie, cię, ci, tobie, tobą.

onhePronounA1

Ja mówię po polsku, a on po niemiecku.I speak Polish and he speaks German.

Also for masculine things. “His” is jego and never changes: jego żona, jego dom.

onashePronounA1

Ja pracuję, a ona się uczy.I work, and she is studying.

Also for feminine things, where English says “it”. “Her” (possessive) is jej, unchanging: jej mąż.

onoitPronounA1

Kot śpi, a dziecko? Ono też już śpi.The cat is asleep, and the child? It is asleep too.

For neuter nouns: dziecko, okno, mieszkanie.

mywePronounA1

My mieszkamy w Gdańsku, a wy?We live in Gdańsk — and you? (to several people)

wyyou (several people, informal)PronounA1

Czy wy też idziecie na koncert?Are you going to the concert too? (to several people)

To several people you are each on first-name terms with. The polite form for several is państwo.

onithey (men or mixed)PronounA1

My jedziemy nad morze, a oni w góry.We are going to the seaside and they are going to the mountains.

As soon as one man is among them. Only women, children, animals or things: one.

onethey (no men)PronounA1

Chłopcy grają w piłkę, a dziewczynki? One rysują w domu.The boys are playing football, and the girls? They are drawing at home.

panyou (to a man, formal); Mr, sirPronounA1

Czy pan jest z Warszawy?Are you from Warsaw? (to a man)

The polite address to a man, with the verb in the third person: pan jest, pan ma. Before a name it means “Mr”: pan Nowak.

paniyou (to a woman, formal); Mrs, madamPronounA1

Przepraszam, czy pani tu pracuje?Excuse me, do you work here? (to a woman)

Like pan, but to a woman: pani ma, pani Kowalska.

państwoyou (to several people, formal); Mr and MrsPronounA1

Czy państwo mają rezerwację?Do you have a reservation? (to a couple)

For several people or a couple, with the verb in the plural: państwo mają.

mójmyPronounA1

To jest mój pokój, a to pokój mojej siostry.This is my room, and this is my sister’s room.

Agrees with the noun: mój syn, moja córka, moje dziecko.

twójyour (one person)PronounA1

Czy to jest twoja torba?Is this your bag?

Like mój: twój, twoja, twoje.

naszourPronounA1

Nasza kuchnia jest mała, ale wygodna.Our kitchen is small but practical.

waszyour (several people)PronounA1

Jak ma na imię wasz syn?What is your son’s name? (to the parents)

tenthisPronounA1

Ten pociąg jedzie do Gdańska.This train goes to Gdańsk.

ten, ta, to — masculine, feminine, neuter: ten dom, ta ulica, to okno. There is no article; ten often does the job of “the”.

tamtenthat (one over there)PronounA1

Ten sweter jest za drogi, poproszę tamten.This jumper is too expensive, I’ll take that one, please.

niktnobodyPronounA1

Nikt nie odbiera telefonu.Nobody is answering the phone.

With a double negative: nikt nie, literally “nobody doesn’t”.

nicnothingPronounA1

Nic nie rozumiem!I don’t understand anything!

Here too nie goes with the verb: nic nie wiem.

ktośsomebodyPronounA1

Ktoś dzwoni do drzwi.Somebody is ringing the doorbell.

cośsomethingPronounA1

Chcesz coś do picia?Would you like something to drink?

wszystkoeverythingPronounA1

Dziękuję, to wszystko.Thank you, that’s everything.

każdyevery, each, everybodyPronounA1

Każdy dzień zaczynam od kawy.I start every day with a coffee.

Agrees with the noun: każdy dzień, każda osoba.

Question word (12)

ktowhoQuestion wordA1

Kto to jest? — To mój kolega z pracy.Who is that? — That is my colleague from work.

Forms: kogo, komu, kim — like “whom”.

cowhatQuestion wordA1

Co pijesz? — Herbatę.What are you drinking? — Tea.

Forms: czego, czemu, czym.

gdziewhereQuestion wordA1

Gdzie jest najbliższa apteka?Where is the nearest chemist’s?

Strictly only “where”. For “where to” there is dokąd, but in everyday speech you often hear gdzie too.

skądwhere fromQuestion wordA1

Skąd pan jest?Where are you from? (to a man)

dokądwhere toQuestion wordA1

Dokąd jedziecie na wakacje?Where are you going for the holidays? (to several people)

kiedywhenQuestion wordA1

Kiedy jest następny pociąg?When is the next train?

Also “when” as a joining word: Kiedy pada, siedzę w domu.

jakhowQuestion wordA1

Jak się pisze twoje nazwisko?How do you spell your surname?

dlaczegowhyQuestion wordA1

Dlaczego nie jesz? — Bo nie jestem głodny.Why aren’t you eating? — Because I’m not hungry.

The answer usually starts with bo “because”.

ilehow much, how manyQuestion wordA1

Ile kosztuje ten chleb?How much is this bread?

The genitive follows: Ile masz lat?, Ile osób?

jakiwhat kind of, what … likeQuestion wordA1

Jakie masz plany na weekend?What plans have you got for the weekend?

Asks about a quality and agrees with the noun: jaki, jaka, jakie.

którywhichQuestion wordA1

Który autobus jedzie na lotnisko?Which bus goes to the airport?

Also the relative “who, which, that”: dom, który widzisz.

czyjwhoseQuestion wordA1

Czyj to jest telefon?Whose phone is this?

Agrees with the noun: czyj, czyja, czyje.

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This list belongs to Basic words: numbers, time, verbs — 17 lists and 676 words that can also be practised as a whole.

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