How to use zakończono, znaleziono, etc in context

Hi,

I've seen verbs like these in the title used in a few places recently, but it never occured to me how to use them, and in what context. For example, I recently switched my browser's language to Polish, and whenever a page is done loading, it displays "Zakończono" on the bottom. I'm guessing it literally means finished, but if I want to use that in a sentence, how would I go about doing so?

Dziękuję :D

Zakończono would mean, as you say, finished. It can be used as an adjective from a verb by changing the ending. Coś jest skonczone-something is finished from the verb skończyć.

The verb forms ending in -ono are impersonal forms (i.e. where the subject of the sentence is unknown or at least not obvious, or very general). They often interfere with passive voice (where you may actually know who is the logical subject of the sentence, but choose the passive voice to express that it's not very important).

There are a few ways of creating impersonal forms and passive voice in many languages (I don't know what your native language is, is it English?):

In English mostly:
1/ "to be" + participle of the verb
(An umbrella has been found in the bin.)
they + verb
(They say it's still cold at this time in Norway.)

In Polish:
1/ być/zostać + participle (used as adjective, with declension) form of the verb
(Parasol został znaleziony w koszu na śmieci.)
1a/ particple ending in -ono (without declension)
(Znaleziono parasol w koszu na śmieci.)

2/ verb in 3rd form plural
(Mówią, że o tej porze w Norwegii jest jeszcze zimno.)
2a/ verb in 3rd form singular + się
(Mówi się, że o tej porze w Norwegii jest jeszcze zimno.)

Thanks very much, I think I'm beginning to understand this now. :) Also, I don't think I have heard people use verbs with that ending very often in spoken Polish. Is this form found more often in written Polish, or do I just need to get out more? :P


Actually, Polish is my first language, but I haven't spoken it much since I moved to the US, and so I decided it's high time to smooth out the rough edges. ;)

yes, it's usually used more in the narrative language than in a dialogue.