co mówisz?
In Polish, the phrase "what are you saying?" is expressed as co mówisz?
This phrase is a question used to ask someone to repeat or clarify what they have just said. While it literally asks what someone is currently uttering, co mówisz? is often used idiomatically to express disbelief, similar to the English phrase "Are you serious?"
Which one should you use?
To address a group of people informally, you would use the plural form co mówicie?
How does it change in a sentence?
The form co mówisz? uses the second-person singular. If you are speaking to a group of people informally, use the second-person plural form co mówicie?
Did you know?
- When expressing extreme disbelief, Poles might replace co mówisz? with co ty gadasz?, using a verb that implies 'babbling' or 'talking nonsense'.
- The word co shares an ancient ancestor with the English word 'who', stemming from the same Proto-Indo-European roots used to build interrogative pronouns.
- Polish has a distinct formal version of this question, co pan mówi?, which must be used with strangers or superiors to avoid being perceived as disrespectful.
Example conversation
Tomasz and Anna are talking in a noisy room.
- TomaszChodźmy już do domu.Let's go home already.
- AnnaSłucham? Co mówisz?I'm listening? What are you saying?
- TomaszMówię, że czas iść.I'm saying it is time to go.
- AnnaDobrze, idźmy.Okay, let's go.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries co, CC BY-SA 4.0.
