jak to powiedzieć po polsku
The English phrase "how to say this in polish" is translated into Polish as jak to powiedzieć po polsku.
This phrase is a question used to ask for the translation of a specific word or phrase into the Polish language.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase breaks down literally as jak (how), to (this/it), powiedzieć (to say) and po polsku (in Polish).
Which one should you use?
An alternative is Jak to się mówi po polsku?, which uses the reflexive pronoun się to mean "How is this said in Polish?"
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb powiedzieć is the infinitive form of the verb "to say/tell", which is used here to express the concept of "how to say". The adverbial phrase po polsku is used to indicate the language in which something is spoken or written.
Did you know?
- The word powiedzieć is formed from the prefix po- and the root wiedzieć, which means 'to know', effectively framing 'saying' as 'making something known'.
- The preposition po used in po polsku primarily means 'after' or 'along' in other contexts, such as when walking 'along' a street.
- The Polish word polsku in this phrase is an adverb, and Polish grammar dictates that names of languages are written in lowercase when they function as adverbs.
Examples in context
- Przepraszam, jak to powiedzieć po polsku?Excuse me, how do you say this in Polish?
- Nie wiem, jak to powiedzieć po polsku.I don't know how to say this in Polish.
Example conversation
Agnieszka is learning a new word with Piotr.
- AgnieszkaPiotrze, jak to powiedzieć po polsku?Piotr, how to say this in Polish?
- PiotrTo słowo to po prostu 'cześć'.That word is simply 'hello'.
- AgnieszkaDziękuję, teraz już rozumiem.Thank you, now I understand.
- PiotrNie ma problemu, Agnieszko.No problem, Agnieszka.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries jak, po, powiedzieć, to, CC BY-SA 4.0.
