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?
To jest specjalny hotel
Czy to jest oficjalny hotel?

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

Warning: Undefined variable $audio_file in /var/www/vhosts/learnpolish101.com/httpdocs/includes/func/what-do-you-know-func.php on line 999

Warning: Undefined variable $audio_file in /var/www/vhosts/learnpolish101.com/httpdocs/includes/func/what-do-you-know-func.php on line 999

Warning: Undefined variable $audio_file in /var/www/vhosts/learnpolish101.com/httpdocs/includes/func/what-do-you-know-func.php on line 999

Warning: Undefined variable $audio_file in /var/www/vhosts/learnpolish101.com/httpdocs/includes/func/what-do-you-know-func.php on line 999

Warning: Undefined variable $audio_file in /var/www/vhosts/learnpolish101.com/httpdocs/includes/func/what-do-you-know-func.php on line 999

Warning: Undefined variable $audio_file in /var/www/vhosts/learnpolish101.com/httpdocs/includes/func/what-do-you-know-func.php on line 999

Warning: Undefined variable $audio_file in /var/www/vhosts/learnpolish101.com/httpdocs/includes/func/what-do-you-know-func.php on line 999

Warning: Undefined variable $audio_file in /var/www/vhosts/learnpolish101.com/httpdocs/includes/func/what-do-you-know-func.php on line 999

Warning: Undefined variable $audio_file in /var/www/vhosts/learnpolish101.com/httpdocs/includes/func/what-do-you-know-func.php on line 999

Warning: Undefined variable $audio_file in /var/www/vhosts/learnpolish101.com/httpdocs/includes/func/what-do-you-know-func.php on line 999

It is an ideal hotel	q2\|To jest idealny hotel

It is a special hotel	q2\|To jest specjalny hotel

It is a normal computer	q2\|To jest normalny komputer

It is a legal business	q2\|To jest legalny biznes

It is a formal document	q2\|To jest formalny dokument

It is a normal hotel	q2\|To jest normalny hotel

It is a brutal taste	q2\|To jest brutalny smak

It is a virtual document	q2\|To jest wirtualny dokument

It is a rich, natural taste	q2\|To jest bogaty, naturalny smak

It is a special hotel	q2\|To jest specjalny 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?	q3\|Czy to jest idealny hotel?

Is it a/the official hotel?	q3\|Czy to jest oficjalny hotel?

Is it a normal computer?	q3\|Czy to jest normalny komputer?

Is it a legal business?	q3\|Czy to jest legalny biznes?

Is it a formal document?	q3\|Czy to jest formalny dokument?

Is it a virtual document?	q3\|Czy to jest wirtualny dokument?

Is it a natural taste?	q3\|Czy to jest naturalny smak?

Is it an official document?	q3\|Czy to jest oficjalny dokument?

Is it a rich taste?	q3\|Czy to jest bogaty smak?

Is it a special hotel?	q3\|Czy to jest specjalny hotel?