Language/Polish/Grammar/Basic-Sentence-Structure

Polish → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Basic Sentence Structure

Welcome to our lesson on Basic Sentence Structure in Polish! As you embark on your journey to learn this beautiful language, understanding how to form sentences is a crucial step. Sentence structure is not just about putting words together; it’s about conveying meaning clearly and effectively. In Polish, like in English, the arrangement of words can change the message.

In this lesson, we will explore the fundamental structure of sentences in Polish, focusing on the Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) format, which is quite familiar to English speakers. We will also touch on how to form questions and negations, which will further empower you to express yourself in various situations.

Lesson Outline:

• Importance of Sentence Structure

• Subject-Verb-Object Format

• Examples of SVO Sentences

• Questions and Negations

• Practice Exercises

Importance of Sentence Structure

Understanding the basic sentence structure is essential for any language learner. It provides a foundation upon which you can build more complex sentences. In Polish, the standard order is typically Subject-Verb-Object (SVO). This means that in a simple sentence, the subject (the doer of the action) comes first, followed by the verb (the action), and then the object (the receiver of the action).

This structure is not only important for clarity but also for fluency. By mastering it, you'll be able to communicate effectively in everyday situations, whether you're introducing yourself, ordering food, or asking for directions.

Subject-Verb-Object Format

In Polish, the most common sentence structure is Subject-Verb-Object (SVO). Let’s break down this structure:

• Subject: The person or thing performing the action.

• Verb: The action being performed.

• Object: The person or thing receiving the action.

Let’s look at some examples to illustrate this format:

Polish	Pronunciation	English
Ja jem jabłko.	Ya yem yah-bwko.	I eat an apple.
Ona pije wodę.	O-na pee-ye vo-de.	She drinks water.
My czytamy książki.	Mi chih-tah-mi kyawn-shki.	We read books.
Ty lubisz kawę.	Ti loo-bish kah-ve.	You like coffee.
On gra w piłkę.	On grah v pee-wkeh.	He plays football.
Dzieci bawią się na placu.	Dzyet-see ba-vyoh shay nah pla-tsu.	The children are playing in the playground.
Wy robicie zakupy.	Vih roh-bee-cheh zah-kup-ee.	You (plural) do shopping.
Kot goni mysz.	Kot goh-nee mish.	The cat chases the mouse.
Babcia gotuje zupę.	Bab-tsya go-too-yeh zoo-peh.	Grandma is cooking soup.
Mój brat gra na gitarze.	Moy brat grah nah gee-tah-zheh.	My brother plays the guitar.

These examples demonstrate the basic structure clearly. The subject (I, she, we, etc.) comes first, followed by the verb (eat, drink, read, etc.), and then the object (an apple, water, books, etc.).

Questions and Negations

Forming questions in Polish is a bit different than in English, but it’s simpler than you might think! You can typically turn a statement into a question by changing your intonation or by rearranging the words slightly.

To form a yes/no question, you can simply raise your intonation at the end of the sentence, or you can use the word “czy” (which means “whether”) at the beginning.

Here are some examples:

Polish	Pronunciation	English
Czy ty lubisz kawę?	Chih ti loo-bish kah-ve?	Do you like coffee?
Ona ma kota?	O-na mah koh-ta?	Does she have a cat?
My idziemy na spacer?	Mi ee-dzye-mi nah spa-tser?	Are we going for a walk?
On gra w piłkę?	On grah v pee-wkeh?	Is he playing football?
Dzieci bawią się na placu?	Dzyet-see ba-vyoh shay nah pla-tsu?	Are the children playing in the playground?

For negations, Polish uses the word “nie” (not) to negate verbs. This can be placed before the verb.

Here are some negation examples:

Polish	Pronunciation	English
Ja nie jem jabłka.	Ya nyeh yem yah-bwko.	I do not eat an apple.
Ona nie pije wody.	O-na nyeh pee-ye vo-de.	She does not drink water.
My nie czytamy książek.	Mi nyeh chi-tah-mi kyawn-shek.	We do not read books.
Ty nie lubisz kawy.	Ti nyeh loo-bish kah-ve.	You do not like coffee.
On nie gra w piłkę.	On nyeh grah v pee-wkeh.	He does not play football.

This method of creating questions and negations is straightforward and allows you to communicate effectively even as a beginner.

Practice Exercises

Now that we've covered the basics of sentence structure, let's put your knowledge to the test! Here are some exercises for you to practice what you've learned.

Exercise 1: Create Sentences

Using the subject, verb, and object provided, create a full sentence in Polish.

1. Subject: Ja, Verb: jem, Object: kanapkę (sandwich)

2. Subject: Ona, Verb: pije, Object: sok (juice)

3. Subject: My, Verb: czytamy, Object: gazety (newspapers)

4. Subject: Ty, Verb: lubisz, Object: ciasto (cake)

5. Subject: On, Verb: gra, Object: na komputerze (on the computer)

Exercise 2: Form Questions

Turn the following statements into questions.

1. Ja jem jabłko. (I eat an apple.)

2. Ona pije kawę. (She drinks coffee.)

3. My idziemy do sklepu. (We are going to the store.)

4. On gra w piłkę. (He plays football.)

5. Dzieci bawią się na placu. (The children play in the playground.)

Exercise 3: Negate the Sentences

Negate the following sentences by adding "nie".

1. Ja jem kanapkę. (I eat a sandwich.)

2. Ona pije herbatę. (She drinks tea.)

3. My czytamy książki. (We read books.)

4. Ty lubisz kawę. (You like coffee.)

5. On gra w tenisa. (He plays tennis.)

Exercise 4: Translate the Sentences

Translate the following sentences from English to Polish.

1. I eat an apple.

2. She drinks water.

3. We read books.

4. You like coffee.

5. He plays football.

Exercise 5: Fill in the Blanks

Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb.

1. Ja ___ (jeść) chleb. (I eat bread.)

2. Ona ___ (pić) mleko. (She drinks milk.)

3. My ___ (czytać) listy. (We read letters.)

4. Ty ___ (lubić) lody. (You like ice cream.)

5. On ___ (grać) w gry. (He plays games.)

Exercise 6: Rearrange the Words

Rearrange the words to create correct sentences in Polish.

1. jabłko / ja / jem.

2. pije / ona / sok.

3. książki / my / czytamy.

4. lubisz / ty / kawę.

5. piłkę / on / gra.

Solutions and Explanations

Exercise 1 Solutions:

1. Ja jem kanapkę. (I eat a sandwich.)

2. Ona pije sok. (She drinks juice.)

3. My czytamy gazety. (We read newspapers.)

4. Ty lubisz ciasto. (You like cake.)

5. On gra na komputerze. (He plays on the computer.)

Exercise 2 Solutions:

1. Czy ja jem jabłko? (Do I eat an apple?)

2. Czy ona pije kawę? (Does she drink coffee?)

3. Czy my idziemy do sklepu? (Are we going to the store?)

4. Czy on gra w piłkę? (Is he playing football?)

5. Czy dzieci bawią się na placu? (Are the children playing in the playground?)

Exercise 3 Solutions:

1. Ja nie jem kanapkę. (I do not eat a sandwich.)

2. Ona nie pije herbatę. (She does not drink tea.)

3. My nie czytamy książki. (We do not read books.)

4. Ty nie lubisz kawę. (You do not like coffee.)

5. On nie gra w tenisa. (He does not play tennis.)

Exercise 4 Solutions:

1. Ja jem jabłko.

2. Ona pije wodę.

3. My czytamy książki.

4. Ty lubisz kawę.

5. On gra w piłkę.

Exercise 5 Solutions:

1. Ja jem chleb. (I eat bread.)

2. Ona pije mleko. (She drinks milk.)

3. My czytamy listy. (We read letters.)

4. Ty lubisz lody. (You like ice cream.)

5. On gra w gry. (He plays games.)

Exercise 6 Solutions:

1. Ja jem jabłko. (I eat an apple.)

2. Ona pije sok. (She drinks juice.)

3. My czytamy książki. (We read books.)

4. Ty lubisz kawę. (You like coffee.)

5. On gra w piłkę. (He plays football.)

Congratulations on completing this lesson! Keep practicing these structures, and you'll find it easier to form sentences as you progress in your Polish learning journey. Remember, the more you practice, the more natural it will become.

Table of Contents - Polish Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Alphabet and Pronunciation

• Polish Alphabet
• Pronunciation Rules

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Basic Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Basic Sentence Structure

• Subject-Verb-Object
• Questions and Negations

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-100
• Telling Time

  ---

Nouns and Articles

• Noun Gender
• Definite and Indefinite Articles

  ---

Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Relationship Status

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Adjective Agreement
• Comparative and Superlative

  ---

Food and Dining

• Common Foods
• Eating Out

  ---

Verbs and Tenses

• Present Tense
• Past Tense

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Travel Phrases

  ---

Polish Customs and Traditions

• Holidays and Celebrations
• Polish Cuisine

Sources

• The Basics of Polish Sentence Structure & Word Order
• Polish grammar - Wikipedia
• Basic Polish Sentence Patterns You Can Use Right Away

Other Lessons

• Cases
• Be Polite
• Prepositions
• Declension of nouns deklinacja rzeczowników
• Pronouns
• Conditional Mood
• Adverbs
• Plurals
• Perfective and imperfective verbs
• Definite Articles in Polish