Language/Polish/Grammar/Negation

Polish Grammar - Negation

Hi Polish learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn about negation in Polish grammar. Negation is a crucial part of language, as it allows us to express negation, denial, or disagreement. Understanding negation in Polish is essential to express yourself clearly and accurately.

Negation in Polish

In Polish, negation is expressed by putting the negative particle "nie" before the verb. This rule applies to all simple tense verbs, including the infinitive. Let's see some examples:

Present Tense

To negate a sentence in the present tense, we put "nie" before the verb:

Polish	Pronunciation	English
Ja nie lubię kawy.	/ja ɲɛ lu.bjɛ ˈka.vɨ/	I don't like coffee.	Ona nie mówi po angielsku.	/ˈɔ.na ɲɛ ˈmuf.i pɔ aŋˈɡjɛl.sku/	She doesn't speak English.	My nie jemy mięsa.	/mɨ ɲɛ ˈjɛ.mɨ ˈmʲjɛ.sa/	We don't eat meat.

As you can see, "nie" is placed directly before the verb for all subjects (ja, ty, on, ona, my, wy, oni, one).

Past Tense

In the past tense, negation is formed using the verb "mieć" ('to have') in the negated form (without "nie"), followed by the past participle of the main verb, as in the examples below:

Polish	Pronunciation	English
Ja nie miałem czasu.	/ja ɲɛ ˈmaj.ɛm ˈt͡ʂa.su/	I didn't have time.	Ona nie widziała mojego psa.	/ˈɔ.na ɲɛ vʲiˈd͡ʑa.wa ˈmɔ.jɛ.ɡɔ psa/	She didn't see my dog.	My nie byliśmy w Warszawie.	/mɨ ɲɛ bɨˈlɨɕ.mɨ v varˈʂa.vʲɛ/	We didn't go to Warsaw.

In the past tense, "nie" is not used, and the word order is the same as in affirmative sentences.

Future Tense

In the future tense, negation is formed using the negated auxiliary verb "nie chcieć" (not want) followed by the infinitive of the main verb, as in the examples below:

Polish	Pronunciation	English
Nie będę jeść mięsa.	/ɲɛ bɛnˈdɛ jɛɕt͡ɕ ˈmʲjɛ.sa/	I won't eat meat.	Ona nie będzie uczyć się hiszpańskiego.	/ˈɔ.na ɲɛ bɛnˈdʲɛ u.t͡ʂɨɕ ɕɛ xiʂ.paňˈskʲɛ.ɡɔ/	She won't learn Spanish.	My nie będziemy chodzić na basen.	/mɨ ɲɛ bɛnˈd͡ʑɛ.mɨ xɔˈdʑit͡ɕ na ˈba.sɛn/	We won't go swimming.

Here, "nie chcieć" is placed before the infinitive, and the word order is the same as in affirmative sentences.

Double Negation

In Polish, a double negative is possible and it reinforces the negation (emphasizes that something is not happening). A double negative is formed by adding "nic" (nothing) before the verb with "nie". For example:

Polish	Pronunciation	English
On nic nie mówi.	/ɔn nit͡s ɲɛ ˈmu.vʲi/	He doesn't say anything.	Nie widzę nic.	/ɲɛ ˈvit.ʂɛ nit͡s/	I don't see anything.	Ona nigdy nie je mięsa.	/ˈɔna ˈniɡ.dɨ ɲɛ jɛ ˈmʲɛ.sa/	She never eats meat.

Use double negation with caution as it may sound unnatural or excessive in some contexts.

Practice Dialogue

• Person 1: Czy lubisz placuszki ziemniaczane? (/ʧɨ lu.bɨʂ pla.t͡suʂ.kʲi ʑɛmˈɲa.t͡ʂa.nɛ/ - Do you like potato pancakes?)
• Person 2: Nie lubię ich. (/ɲɛ lu.bjɛ ix/ - I don't like them.)

• Person 1: Czy chcesz wypić kawę? (/ʧɨ xɛʃt͡ʂ vyˈpit͡ɕ ˈka.vɛ/ - Do you want to drink coffee?)
• Person 2: Nie, dziękuję, nie piję kawy. (/ɲɛ d͡ʑɛnˈku.jɛ ɲɛ ˈpi.jɛ ˈka.vɨ/ - No, thank you, I don't drink coffee.)

Helpful Tips

• Remember to use "nie" in front of the verb to negate a sentence.
• Double negation is possible in Polish but be careful when using it.

To improve your Polish Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

Sources

• Polish grammar
• Verb negation
• Double negative

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