Life / Do Polish people respect other cultures? [96]

Hearts (Edinburgh) are also a protestant team.
It's really only in Glasgow and Edinburgh where you encounter this Hibs/Hearts, Celtic/Rangers, Catholic/Protestant divide.

Language / Pittsburgh Uni. 1st Yr Polish. HELP [5]

I don't know how to post web links BUT
1. Go to Polish Forums, general Polish language.
2. scroll down to 'Polish language learning links' by hal201 (?)

It's his first recommendation and he's included a link.

UK, Ireland / Are the Poles in England hated? [450]

Zeus. You seem to think that we English believe Polish want relationships for 'documents'???
Poles are allowed to live and work here whether they are connected to an English person or not. They don't need some kind of green card.

Mariaespana. All English hate everyone? You love every Pole?
That kind of blanket policy towards entire nationalities is the most insincere of sentiments. Especially considering it's written in English.
Write it in Polish and I'll start to take you seriously.

Language / I know "się" is the only reflexive personal pronoun..but "jak się masz?" [34]

Jeez! Full contact linguistics on this forum.

Jak się masz?
How oneself to be?

this is the nearest I can get to a 'direct' translation to English.
As a beginner I am finding the lack of dirct translations quite complicating to the whole process. I'm hoping it's just a bottom heavy subject and that, as things start to fall into place, the learning momentum will increase.

Language / Instrumental form in Polish [65]

Merged: Nominative to instrumental?

As an exercise I was given a series of sentences to rewrite changing the structure and grammar from nominative to instrumental:
'Jan pracuje jako nauczyciel' (Jan works as a teacher).
'Jan jest nauczycielem' (Jan is a teacher).

Masc/Fem distinctions also appear.
Lekarka/lekarką. (f)
Inżynier/inżynierem. (m)
Policjant/policjantem. (m)

Here are examples of which I am unsure:
Beata pracuje jako sprzedawczyni.
?Beata jest sprzedawczyniką?

Maria pracuje jako psycholog.
Maria jest psychologką

Iwona pracuje jako księgowa.
Iwona jest księgowaką

I'm fairly sure the above 3 are wrong.
If someone could correct them and explain the reason/rule (or exception to rule) it would be a great help to mr.

Also Uczeń becomes Uczniem (masc nominative to instrumental)
Does the female nominative Uczennica become uczenniką ?

Language / I know "się" is the only reflexive personal pronoun..but "jak się masz?" [34]

I'm learning English grammar as a side effect of Polish so I'm unsure as to what you mean by 'reflexive'. ...but I'm here to learn, if you feel like explaining?

Anyway, I reached the literal translation of 'Jak się masz' by finding the dictionary definition of 'Jak' (how), 'się' (oneself) and 'masz' (form of 'miec' - to have).

By this method the nearest literal translation would be:
How oneself to have?
(I incorrectly used the verb BYĆ [to be], rather than 'MIEC' [to have] above.

Language / Instrumental form in Polish [65]

That's a real curve ball I was thrown!
I was aware of the principle of 'Pani Dyrektor' (A female title and a masculine gender profession) but I was given no hint that the exercise contained anything other than varients of the same process.

Thanks,
Krzysztof.

UK, Ireland / Are the Poles in England hated? [450]

Absolutely, okgirl66.
Also some towns have had Polish communities for decades. Barnsley has a 'Polish Club'. The area had many Polish settlers after WW2 who escaped Stalin and came to work in the coalmines.

People like Zeus just don't get it. They're behind the times with their comments and do not realise that being a racist is little better than being a pedophile.

Language / Instrumental form in Polish [65]

I'm taking one-to-one lessons (internet skype connection).
Before the lesson I receive an e-mail with attachments of pdf/audio files. The tutor and I work through the material and I listen to the audio files to aid my 'homework'.

As well as this method I use some self teaching materials (books, websites) and find the input of others invaluable.
Especially the feedback and direction I am given by the members of this forum.

UK, Ireland / Poles returning to Poland from UK [21]

Maybe it was simply the first opportunity of many poles to experience an adventure abroad. Before 2004 many of the Poles in UK were illegals who had to accept below minimum wage jobs and faced the constant risk of deportation. After '04 they were free to exercise the rights of full European membership.

If I had spent my childhood under communist rule, my teenage years in a nation with nothing in the shops and my early adulthood with severe restrictions on where I could live and work I believe I would have jumped at the chance to live and work abroad. (In fact I did. I spent a year in Australia)

If this situation had occured a decade earlier I think I'd have taken advantage of the availability of jobs in Poland to stay there and enjoy the experience. Some friends helped build Hong Kong Airport for far less pay than they could earn here in UK But they had enough to stay there and soak up the atmosphere.

What more could a young adult with no commitments want?

Language / Correct form of BYĆ. Please help! [96]

FoxxiGold:
301 Polish Verbs by Klara Janecki may be helpful,

BYĆ.(The verb 'to be')
These are the present tense forms you will use most as a starter (like myself).
Jest, Jestem, Jesteś, Jesteśmy, jesteście, są

You use the appropriate form in context to the meaning:
Ja jestem (I am)
Ty jesteś (you are)
on/ona/ono jest (he/she/it is)
my jesteśmy (we are)
wy jesteście (you/they are) wy=plural, no gender 'you'.
oni są (you/they are) oni=plural, masculine 'you'.
one są (you/they are) one=plural feminine 'you'.

Basically you must learn your pronouns (jestem, jest etc) and your forms of być, then practise 'fitting' them together.

Then you move on to using names to determine the correct form of być needed:
Jan jesteś....
Jan and Sylwia są....

Language / Correct form of BYĆ. Please help! [96]

Sorry.
I should have said
'Learn your pronouns and the forms of być (jest, jestem, są) that fit correctly.

Language / Hurra Po Polsku [10]


So you are part of the Prolog team, Krzysztof?
I'm seriously considering choosing Prolog for the two week intensive, residential Polish language course I plan on taking in October.

Why should I opt for prolog rather than another Krakow summer school?
Come on.... Sell it to me.

(By the way, the books look excellent but instruction in English appear to be lacking. Am I misunderstanding something?)

Language / Pittsburgh Uni. 1st Yr Polish. HELP [5]

Actually, sunbreak, I believe my initial problem was due to not downloading the Java programme that is necessary to access the drills.
I have not yet returned to retry but I'll make a point of doing it soon.

Language / Hurra Po Polsku [10]

The web page is in English but the sample pages from the books appear to contain none. That was my meaning.

Thanks for your help.

Love / Don't Polish men fall for British women? [57]


So what if your overweight?
Personality is what really matters for long term happiness.
Most of the Polish males I work with have Polish girlfriends/wives.
More than half of the Polish women I know also have Polish partners but a few have lovers of different nationality.
One girl from the cafeteria at my workplace is in a serious relationship with a black guy. I'd worked with a trio of Slovaks who were very racist towards black people and I sort of expected a similar attitude from the Poles.... I was wrong. I have never heard a single racist sentiment from any Pole towards people of colour.

Love / Don't Polish men fall for British women? [57]



It must be hard work spending your nights together avoiding 'sins of the flesh'.
How are you both ensuring mutual virginity for your wedding night? Remember that he'll burn in hell if he masturbates.

Language / Accusative Case [44]

Merged: ACCUSATIVE.Animate/Inanimate.Masc/Fem/Neut?

Rule= Masc, Animate
Add 'ego' to adjective/s, 'a' to noun/s.
Inanimate
NO change.
Feminine, Animate and Inanimate
Add 'ą' to adjective/s, 'ę' to noun/s
Neuter. Animate/ Inanimate
No change.

Example:
Proszę .................... [mała kawa] = fem/Inanimate.
Proszę małą kawę. (Please may I have a small coffee)
Because 'mała kawa' is fem I hook the 'a' of the adjective and and change the 'a' of the noun (kawa) into an 'ę'.

Example 2:
Proszę ............... [jedna mała pizza]= fem/inanimate.
Proszę jedną małą pizzę. (Please may I have one small pizza)
Jedna is a numeral so is treated as an adjective.

HELP:
Proszę ........... [jeden mały kurczak]= masc/animate.
Proszę jedenego małyego kurczaka.
??Am I being correct by simply adding 'ego' to the masc 'mały'??

Hints, tips and explanations welcome.
Dziękuję.

Language / Accusative Case [44]

Duży żubr (Big Bison) [Masc. Anim.]
Jeden (One)

Jedenego (or do I drop the 'e' = Jednego?)
Dużyego (oe do I drop the 'y' = Dużego?)

Jednego Dużego Żubra?


???Because the particular adjective is being used as a noun???


Example, please?
I'm unsure what you mean.

"Polanski...."
The '...ski' ending to a name turns it's usage into that of an adjective??

Love / Don't Polish men fall for British women? [57]


I'm not religious but I sometimes think our 'progressive' society has the wrong values. Getting a know a person very well before jumping into bed with them, like my Grandparents generation, seems to have made stronger foundations for lasting happiness.

Language / Cases, Genders, Nominative, Instrumental...WHY? [40]

Do you mean a linguistic change or are we straying on to vegetarian issues?

As z_darius's 'youtube' clip it sounds very Scandinavian with bits of Dutch IMHO.

Back to the subject.......
Why is 'Jeden mały kurczak' considered ACCUSATIVE?
What rules govern the inclusion of words/phrases into the ACCUSATIVE GROUP?

Language / Cases, Genders, Nominative, Instrumental...WHY? [40]


Let me rephrase.............

Why is it correct to change the nominative 'Jeden mały kurczak' into the accusative 'Jednego małego kurczaka'.
I know 'kurczak' is masc so we opt for 'mały/mała/małe' (The masc form of the adjective that correctly fits the masc noun of 'kurczak')

I'm just getting used to genders and case endings, nominative and instrumental THEN this pops up.........
.........but, unlike nominative and instrumental, I'm unsure of the reason or puepose?

Your explanation (above) went some way towards helping me understand.

Language / Accusative Case [44]

Merged: Polish Accusative's: Help required

I have a task of completing sentences using the correct form of accusative nouns and adjectives.
Example:
Q1. Czekam na ............ [mój brat].
Because it is masc and animate it is:
A1. Czekam na mojego brata.

I am having trouble because I know there are different rules regarding names.............but I have forgotten them!
Q2. Czy czekacie na ...................... [pan Kowalski].
Q3. Czy czekacie na ...................... [profesor Nowak].
Q4. Czekam na ................. [pani Anna].
Q5. Czekam na ................. [pani Lewińska].

If someone could refresh my memory on the rules regarding names in the accusative case it would be a great help.
I seem to remember that -ski is considered an adjective?
Either male or female names do not change?

Language / Accusative Case [44]

Thanks Polish girl.

I understand the first example.

Treat as masculine/animate. Pan=Noun/Kowalski=Adjective.

I'll need an explanation for the remaining three.

Merged:Mixed genders in Accusative case?

Czytam ................ [ciekawa powieść]

The adjective (ciekawa) is feminine, the noun (powieść) is masc/inanimate (so would remain nominative).
Do I change the adjective and noun to their respective genders or does the noun dictate the gender of the full sentence?

Language / Accusative Case [44]


Why is it feminine?


I am going to post a few examples of my exercise to clarify my task.

E1. Oglądam ................ [stara fotografia]
stara fotografia = feminine, so:
Oglądam starą fotografię

E2. Czy masz ............. [mój klucz]
Mój klucz is masc/inanimate so remains nominative, so:
Czy masz mój klucz

E3. Czy masz .................[młodszy brat]
młodszy brat is masc/animate, so:
Czy masz młodszego brata

I hope this will explain my task better.
I have not been instructed on using the verb to determine the case but to use the noun and adjective, as above.

Language / Accusative Case [44]


I have only been learning for four weeks so I recognise the gender of nominative/singular words by the endings:

Masculine=consonant
Feminine= '-a' or occasionally '-i' (pani, gospodyni)
Neuter= '-o', '-e', '-ię', '-ę' and '-um'.

POWIEŚĆ ends in a consonant so I thought it would be masculine.
Does the accent make it feminine?

First names are nouns.
Surnames are also nouns unless ending with -ski, -ska. In which case they become adjectives.

Am I correct in the above statement?

If I am correct are there any more names/parts of names that are treated as anything other than nouns?