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Posts by harrysmith  

Joined: 6 Nov 2015 / Male ♂
Last Post: 9 Dec 2015
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Posts: Total: 12 / Live: 9 / Archived: 3
From: New Zealand, Dunedin
Speaks Polish?: No, I am learning
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Displayed posts: 9
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harrysmith   
7 Nov 2015
Language / Short Polish<->English translations [1040]

Could someone please tell me the transliteration of the verb "is wearing": "ma na sobie"

e.g. "mężczyzna ma na sobie koszulkę"
harrysmith   
7 Nov 2015
Language / Short Polish<->English translations [1040]

By transliteration I mean what it would sound like if it was said literally instead of after translation., because as far as I know "ma" means "has", "na" means "on" and "sobie" means "theirself", so in English would that mean "mężczyzna ma na sobie korszulę" transliteraties to "man has on himself shirt" instead of a translation which would be "the man is wearing a shirt"
harrysmith   
7 Nov 2015
Language / Short Polish<->English translations [1040]

Okay, thanks once again for pointing out my mistakes. Yes I meant literal translation, but on the third attemt could somebody please just answer the question?
harrysmith   
7 Nov 2015
Language / Short Polish<->English translations [1040]

Dziękuję! I understand that translating things literally can lead to disaster, and I'll take that on board! I just had a curiosity as to what other languages' idiosyncrasies were, and how Poles think. English is my first and only language, so I find it difficult to grasp the concept that there isn't really a verb for "is wearing" and it helps to have it explained. Thanks once again!
harrysmith   
7 Nov 2015
Language / Short Polish<->English translations [1040]

Thanks for the advice! Do you think it would be a wise move for me to just stop looking for a literal translation and just accept things for what they are?

that is:
"mężczyzna ma na sobie korszulę" = "The man is wearing the shirt"
as opposed to
"mężczyzna ma na sobie korszulę" = "(the) man has on him (a) shirt"

Edit: sorry if im posting in the wrong thread, I'll stop after this
harrysmith   
7 Nov 2015
Language / Short Polish<->English translations [1040]

I think that will be my downfall! I'm an adult now and I've only spoken English my whole life. I guess that's why I'm always looking for a literal translation, a habit which I'll have to break! I'm not sure how I'm going to learn this way of thinking, but thanks for the insight!
harrysmith   
7 Nov 2015
Language / Short Polish<->English translations [1040]

Thank you very much once again! I'll be sure to get my hands on a copy, I know that GT's a piece of trash, I've only really used it to find the infinitives of verbs and nouns, no phrases or grammar, you need only translate from English to English to see how bad it is!
harrysmith   
8 Nov 2015
Language / Short Polish<->English translations [1040]

Is the example of "fun" not tranlating to "zabawa" because while both the noun and the verb of "fun" in English are synonymous, the same is not the case in Polish?

I'm really just guessing here, but would "zabawa" used in the case of a noun: "To jest zabawą", "It is fun" make sense? Or is there yet another way to say that?
harrysmith   
9 Dec 2015
Language / Short Polish<->English translations [1040]

Forgive me in advance, for I may accidentally use the wrong terminology =)

I have a potentially idiomatic question concerning the two English phrases "That's what I'm talking about" and "If I do say so myself".

I've done a (particularly terrible) job of translating them as they are in English (forgive me in advance, I'm only learning), however I'm fully aware that as every day goes by, the Dunning-Kruger effect becomes more and more apparent, and I was wondering if there was an idiomatic Polish phrase (or a more accurate translation) to the same affect.

(One more apology, I'm not sure how or if the English use of "do", "about" or "so" works in Polish (in this context), so they may look weird or out of place (or completely wrong) to a trained eye).

"Jeśli mogę tak powiem się"
"To jest co mówię o"