Learn Polish - It is / Is it?
In this lesson we'll start forming full sentences like 'It is an ideal hotel' and learn how some words ending 'al' have their spelling changed slightly to match polish pronounciation of letters.
The Polish for 'It is' is 'To jest'
- It is an ideal hotel - To jest idealny hotel
To make this into a question we just add 'Czy' to the start. 'Czy' doesn't mean anything, it just signals that the sentence is a question.
- Is it an ideal hotel? - Czy to jest idealny hotel?
You might see or hear that 'czy' is not always said if it is obvious that a question is being asked. However for our exercises we will always use 'czy' to make sure we are understood.
When we transfer English words ending 'al' to Polish, if the word contains 'ci' we replace this with 'cj'
Just imagine it as stretching the i down!
- Special - specjalny
- Official - oficjalny
Note the single 'f' on 'oficjalny'. Polish is spoken as it is written. If there is no need for a double letter, why have it?
Keep listening out for that emphasis on the penultimate syllable.
- To jest idealny hotel
- Czy to jest idealny hotel?
- Specjalny
- Oficjalny
Listen to, and repeat, the sentences several times to practice getting the emphasis right.
Heads up!
In Polish both of the following are also commonly used:
- It's an ideal hotel - To idealny hotel
- It's an ideal hotel - Jest idealny hotel
In this course we will stick with using 'to jest' but don't be surprised to find either the 'to' or 'jest' dropped when you are listening to or reading Polish.
The difference in meaning is no different to the English "It is" and "It's".
It is
What is the Polish for 'is it?'
Select the correct answer from the following:
Fill in the Polish sentences
(Answers are case sensitive!)
Make sure your sound is turned on to hear the audio during this exercise
It is an ideal hotel | |
It is a normal computer | |
It is a legal business | |
It is a formal document | |
It is a normal hotel | |
It is a brutal taste | |
It is a virtual document | |
It is a rich, natural taste | |
It is a special hotel | |
Making questions
We add 'czy' to the start of a sentence to make it into a question so how would you write the following questions?
(Answers are case sensitive!)
Make sure your sound is turned on to hear the audio during this exercise
Is it an ideal hotel? | |
Is it a normal computer? | |
Is it a legal business? | |
Is it a formal document? | |
Is it a virtual document? | |
Is it a natural taste? | |
Is it an official document? | |
Is it a rich taste? | |
Is it a special hotel? | |
Refresher
Click/Tap to match the English and Polish pairs
Make sure your sound is turned on to hear the audio during this exercise
Asking questions
How can we show that we are asking a question?
(Tick all the correct boxes)
Tick all of the boxes you believe are correct