What exactly all these grammatical terms mean! - feeling frustrated

Hi everyone,

As some of you know I'm trying to learn Polish and lately I've been learning alot of words such as days, months, colours, foods etc but I seem to be struggling with what direction I need to take my learning next. I know I should be trying to learn about grammatical cases and this will help me to understand more right? My problem is this I was never great at English at school and I can't seem to wrap my head around what exactly all these grammatical terms mean! I go to wiki and look up instrumental case but it just seems to confuse me! Every time I read it I end up clicking through to another link as I aren't quite sure what nominative is ect ect and I just seem to go around in circles!

do I need to relearn English?
is this common?
am I too stupid to learn this stuff?

Learn the basics, try this sweety English.


Not at all, you just need to refresh - you will be surprised how much comes flooding back, because you don't "need" to know in daily life, it doesn't mean you don't have it all stored up there!

Thank you.

:)

Good questions. Ones that I often ask myself. I think I must have been asleep during grammar lessons at school. Not sure how much knowledge of English grammar will help you.

Interesting that you mention the instrumental case, that's probably one of the easiest!

Expanding your vocabulary is good. Take some lessons, buy a book on Polish grammar. Then practice what you have learnt on here and with friends/penpals.

I think it is still early days for you and a point will soon come when you will be happy with the progress you've made and all the hard work you've already done.

I think I was outside smoking. doh!


I just picked one at random! I don't really understand any at the moment.


English or Polish?
I have no opportunity to do Polish where I live. (English countryside)


I think I need to have patience and it's annoying me but you are right and I'm not one to give up easily.

Either the same thing here, or more likely, there weren't any grammar lessons at school.


Agreed.

I'm happy with my old book that was never designed to go with a CD, audio cassette, 78RPM shellac disc or wax cylinder. That, along with speaking to a variety of people ranging from workmates, a lady friend, her kids, people from PF (especially making silly comments on facebook), and subjecting myself to a bit of Polish TV, seem to be quite good ways of attacking Polish from all sides.

are you trying to do too much? leave it alone for a few days, get your bike out or go climb scafell pike or hellvelin, some fresh air may re-focus you :-)

That's a pity. I have had a private tutor on and off since I started learning and I have a couple of hours lessons a week. Sitting down and reading the theory from a book is a bit boring for me.


You have chosen to learn one of the top 5 hardest languages. And, like me, you are not going to let it beat you!

I'm older than almost everyone else on here and I was never formally taught English grammar at school. I think you have to have been in the Thomas Gradgrind Hard Times generation for that. The only place I understand grammar constructs from is learning Latin at school.

na prawda!


You are right sausage!

Thank you.

:)

Yes you do!
Like me. Using a SKYPE connection.
I have a 90 minute lesson every week (£17.50) with an excellent teacher based in Krakow.

As for English Grammar 12 months ago I didn't know what a verb, a noun or an adjective was!
Turns out that many of my generation were not taught these things!!!!
We're the 'lost generation of English Grammar'.

So I have had to learn English Grammar also.

It's a challenge but determination will shine through.
Good luck.

:)


I feel abit stupid now....could you PM me some info?



So I am not the only one!

:)

Too true!
I think the best approach to learning Polish is to do a little bit of everything then you won't get bored and all the time you'll be expanding your vocabulary, getting a feel for word order and attuning your ear to the language. A bit of translating (get someone to check it). Listen to the radio. Do some online drills/tests. Watch DVDs with Polish subtitles.

try internet radio as well, it`s free and i often listen to roxy fm.

I'll PM you.

I can also recommend a skype tutor so will PM you later on too...

Thank you that would be great.

:)

What does cukiereczku mean?
and also slodki

cukiereczku = (my) candy
słodki = sweet