Talking about it

We have taken a long detour into the past tense but before we leave the Locative case there is one more important use for this case which we need to know

Do you remember how to say:

I spoke (male) -

It can also mean 'I talked' / 'I was talking'

I was talking about Warsaw (male) - Mowiłem o Warszawie

'o' means 'about' and 'o' bounces us into the Locative case so we need those soft endings on the nouns as we can see above in the spelling of 'Warsaw'.

I was talking about Lublin (male) -
I was talking about your car (female) -
He was talking about Kraków -
You were talking about the old house (male) -
Why were you talking about the old house? (male) -

Now let's look at this verb in the present tense.

I'm talking about Warsaw - Mówię o Warszawie

So how would you say:

I'm talking about Lublin -
I'm talking about your car -
I'm talking about your work -

Take your time to think out the other forms of this verb:

Thinking these out, rather than trying to remember them, makes long term learning faster. Reference your notes or earlier lessons if you need to but try to avoid learning them parrot fashion.

You are talking about Warsaw -
Are you talking about Warsaw? -
Why are you talking about Warsaw? -
He is talking about my new house -
She is talking about Kraków -
We are talking about my work -
They are talking about the new chemist/ drug store -
Why are they talking about the new chemist/ drug store? -

Heads Up!

In English we have:

I speak
I talk
I say

In Polish it is just 'I speak' and 'I talk' (which also covers 'I say')

Generally these are used the same way but there is a slightly different overlap. 'Mówię' is used when we want to say 'I said' but with force.

I said no! (male) - Mówiłem nie!
I said that I don't want it! (female) - Mówiłam, że nie to chcę!

Present and Past Tense

Click and drag the phrases or words into their correct tenses for the verb 'to speak'.

Drag and drop all the dark blue boxes to their correct locations

Make sure your sound is turned on to hear the audio during this exercise

Match these translations of past tenses

Tap on each pair to make them disappear.

Make sure your sound is turned on to hear the audio during this exercise

I was speaking/talking

mówiłaś

mówię

I am speaking/talking

ona mówi

mówiła

they were speaking/talking

mówiliśmy

you are speaking/talking

mówili

we were speaking/talking

mówisz

we are speaking/talking

mówimy

they are speaking/talking

you (female) were speaking/talking

she is speaking/talking

mówiłem

mówią

she was speaking/talking

Think out the Polish

Practice the sentences from the lesson.

Make sure your sound is turned on to hear the audio during this exercise

I was talking about Warsaw	(male) q3\|Mówiłem o Warszawie

I was talking about Lublin	(male) q3\|Mówiłem o Lublinie

I was talking about your car	(female) q3\|Mówiłam o twoim samochodzie

He was talking about Krakow	q3\|On mówił o Krakowie

You were talking about the old house	(male) q3\|Mówiłeś o starym domu

Why were you talking about the old house?	(male) q3\|Dlaczego mówiłeś o starym domu?

I'm talking about Warsaw	q3\|Mówię o Warszawie

I'm talking about Lublin	q3\|Mówię o Lublinie

I'm talking about your car	q3\|Mówię o twoim samochodzie

I'm talking about your work	q3\|Mówię o twojej pracy

You are talking about Warsaw	q3\|Mówisz o Warszawie

Are you talking about Warsaw	q3\|Czy mówisz o Warszawie?

Why are you talking about Warsaw	q3\|Dlaczego mówisz o Warszawie?

He is talking about my house	q3\|On mówi o moim domu

He is talking about my new house	q3\|On mówi o moim nowym domu

She is talking about Krakow	q3\|Ona mówi o Krakowie

We are talking about my work	q3\|Mówimy o mojej pracy

They are talking about the new chemist/drug store	q3\|Mówią o nowej aptece

Why are they talking about the new chemist/drug store?	q3\|Dlaczego mówią o nowej aptece?

I said no	(male) q3\|Mówiłem nie

I said that I don't want it	(female) q3\|Mówiłam, że nie to chcę