Language/Polish/Grammar/How-to-Use-be

Polish Grammar - How to Use "be"

Hi Polish learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn how to use the verb "być" (to be) in Polish. We will look at the conjugation of the verb, its usage in sentences, and some examples.

Conjugation

The verb "być" is an irregular verb in Polish. Here is the conjugation of the verb in the present tense:

Person	Singular	Plural
Ja	Jestem	Jesteśmy
Ty	Jesteś	Jesteście
On/Ona/Ono	Jest	Są

Pronunciation:

• Jestem (yest-em)
• Jesteś (yest-esh)
• Jesteście (yest-esh-chye)
• Jest (yest)
• Są (son)

Usage

The verb "być" is used in many different ways in Polish. It can be used to express existence, location, possession, and more. Here are some examples:

• Existence:
  • Jestem studentem. (I am a student.)
  • Jesteśmy w Polsce. (We are in Poland.)

• Location:
  • On jest w szkole. (He is at school.)
  • Oni są w domu. (They are at home.)

• Possession:
  • To jest moje auto. (This is my car.)
  • To są twoje książki. (These are your books.)

Dialogue

Here is a dialogue between two people using the verb "być":

• Person 1: Cześć! Jesteś z Polski? (Hi! Are you from Poland?)
• Person 2: Tak, jestem. A ty? (Yes, I am. And you?)
• Person 1: Nie, nie jestem. Jestem z Francji. (No, I'm not. I'm from France.)

Quiz

Test your knowledge of the verb "być" with this quiz:

1. What is the conjugation of "być" for the first person singular? A. Jestem B. Jesteś C. Jest D. Są

2. How do you say "We are in Poland" in Polish? A. Jesteśmy w Polsce B. Jesteście w Polsce C. Jestem w Polsce D. Są w Polsce

3. How do you say "This is my car" in Polish? A. To jest mój samochód B. To jest moje auto C. To są moje auto D. To są moje samochody

Answers: 1. A, 2. A, 3. B

Cultural Information

In Polish, the verb "być" is often used in idiomatic expressions. For example, "być wolnym jak ptak" means "to be free as a bird". This expression is used to describe someone who is free to do whatever they want.

Another common expression is "być jak ryba w wodzie", which means "to be like a fish in water". This expression is used to describe someone who is very comfortable in a certain situation.

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Related Lessons

• Perfective and imperfective verbs
• być to be
• Questions
• Adverbs
• How to Use Have
• Possessive Case in Polish
• Conditional Tense
• Pronouns
• Declension of nouns deklinacja rzeczowników