Language / Do Poles get confused over the different word endings? [40]

What gets me so confused...how does knowing the case of the word tell you what ending to use?
Like, say I know the sentence will use the genitive...what are the rules then for "conjugating" a certain noun. I've seen lots of examples, but nothing consistant enough that I can gather what the rules are. Please tell me there are rules!!

Haha...my Polish friends tell me the sentence will still be understood, even if I use the wrong ending. However, I'm thinking I should attempt to figure it out anyway :)

Language / Do Poles get confused over the different word endings? [40]

Thanks Marek
I have a detailed book on Polish grammer...and I STILL agonize over which endings to use :)
::sigh:: Its so much easier to read than to write...

Thanks for your help. Clearly, you know what you are talking about, so I might just come here for answers too. :)

Language / Do Poles get confused over the different word endings? [40]

Haha...never heard of Stevie Smith either. But...as I've already expressed confidence in Marek's ability to know what he's talking about....I guess I gotta believe him. Plus it can totally be a girl's name :)

Hmmm...not gonna try to respond in Polish on a message board where my words will sound so pathetically wrong to so many people :)

I'm actually in Queens too :) Small world. I'm still just trying to learn Polish on my own. Got my pocket translator, some grammar books, ever-so-helpful internet websites.....and in November I splurged on the Rosetta Stone program (which, hilariously, has not yet taught me how to say "czesc" But it's still great for what it does teach.

I was in Poland this January, for the first time in my life - visiting friends that I met in the US over the summer. Hence, my initial interest in the language. I loved it over there though, and I plan to go back again.

I'm assuming you've been to Poland at least once yourself? Are you originally from there?

Language / Do Poles get confused over the different word endings? [40]

Dziękuję bardzo dla pomoc. Mam niejedno słownik, i książka “Beginning Polish – by Alexander Schenker" <-- Ono jest bardzo stary.

Jesli mówię, wszystko mi jedno….ale, jesli piszę ….well, I try to keep my sentences relatively correct in terms of spelling and grammar, no matter what the language. Writing = documentation = eternal proof of one’s errors :P

Language / Do Poles get confused over the different word endings? [40]

Thanks Marek
Haha...I didn't even think about the ona vs. ono. All I wanted to do was specify that the BOOK was old, and not necessarily Mr. Alexander :P Although, logically speaking, one would assume a correlation....

So you're saying I don't need to put "dla" in the first sentence. So noted :)
::writes it down::

Michal
With mam niejedno slownik, I was trying to say more than one. I got that phrase from my online dictionary --> polish.slavic.pitt.edu/dictionary.pdf which I rely on quite often. I'm always looking for other sources though. Never thought of a second hand book shop. I'll remember that. Thanks :)

Language / Do Poles get confused over the different word endings? [40]

I will freely admit that I've become completely lost. I have this sneaking suspicion that you've reverted to languages not even relevant to this forum

But that's okay. You are still quite helpful. Danke, dziekuje and thank you :)

Language / Do Poles get confused over the different word endings? [40]

Hey hey...what do you mean, not participate? Do you not seem me here, nodding along in total agreement with what you both say, confident as always that your linguistic utterances are fully and completely accurate. :) Plus, once I saw the word ist, I knew I was allowed to stop reading.

And as far as talking in Polish is concerned, by all means continue :P

Just wanted to say thank you again for your help. I won’t be here for a while. Jadę do Floryda w przyszlym tygodniu. Ale powrócę :)

ttyl

Travel / Beware the peacocks at Lazienski Park in Warsaw [36]

I LOVED the peacocks there!! Next time I visit though, I will have to bring such a sandwich, to test your theory :)

News / Darwins theory of Evolution in Polish schools [59]

Just for clarification, if you don’t mind: To what extent do people want evolution to be taught (or not taught) in schools?
From the first post in this thread, it seems like they are not taking evolution out of any curriculum, but they are basically admitting that they don’t have all the answers. How life on earth began cannot be proven scientifically with any theory (because it is not a re-occurring event that can be examined), so, why should there be a problem with presenting both arguments in the debate?

Life / Do Poles Lead a Healthy Lifestyle? [15]

Artur..that's what I was going to say.
Maybe Polish people don't have the HEALTHIEST lifestyle....(last time I checked, beer wasn't doctor-recommended or anything) but 14% obese??? I don't think so!

And I don't know about the whole physical exercise component..but when I was visiting there, EVERYBODY walked everywhere. If you're walking all the time, you don't need to be pounding it out on a treadmill back home.

Coming from America, I find this article pretty funny actually... but still interesting....

::visualizes Artur's pondering smiley face::

Life / Do Poles Lead a Healthy Lifestyle? [15]

Ahaha...finally...a national export to be proud of :)

Life / What do Polish people think about Americans living in Poland? [48]


I be! I be! :P

And about the whole...ignorance of household appliances and their popularity...I just have to say that quite a few of my friends from Poland would lead people along....describing their country as a third world nation...without technology...completely behind the times. They think its funny to mock us and our ignorance :(

Life / What do Polish people think about Americans living in Poland? [48]

Oh
Haha...no...I just read the part that you quoted :) Sorry. If I were faking being an American, I'm doing a good job though, right?

Travel / Bringing laptops to Poland [7]

No problem! I have my own plane. I'll just pack it full for everybody :P Sign up below!

I'm in the US. I don't think I'm the type to raise any red flags at the border, and I wasn't stopped by customs last time I was there...

I just want a guarantee. I can't find any written rules regarding it. All websites will tell me are the silly rules regarding shampoo and such :)