Czego chcesz?
The Polish phrase for "what do you want?" is Czego chcesz?
This phrase is used to ask someone what they desire or what they are looking for. Depending on your tone of voice, Czego chcesz? can sound blunt or even aggressive, much like the English equivalent.
Which one should you use?
While Czego chcesz? is used with friends or children, the standard way to ask a stranger or a superior what they want is to use Czego chce Pan? when addressing a man or Czego chce Pani? when addressing a woman.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase Czego chcesz?, the word chcesz is the second-person singular form of the verb chcieć, which means "to want".
Did you know?
- The formal versions, Czego chce Pan? or Czego chce Pani?, actually translate literally to 'What does Mr. / Ms. want?', because you are addressing the person by their social title rather than using 'you'.
- While Czego chcesz? asks what someone wants, the phrase Co chcesz? is often used specifically when asking which item someone wants to pick from a group.
- Using the word chcieć in the phrase Czego chcesz? triggers the genitive case for the object of desire, which is why the word for 'what' is Czego instead of Co.
Examples in context
- Czego chcesz?What do you want?
