Jesteś najlepszy
In Polish, the phrase 'you're the best' is expressed as Jesteś najlepszy.
This expression is used to thank someone or praise them for being very helpful or kind.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of Jesteś (you are) and najlepszy (the best/the most good).
Which one should you use?
Jesteś najlepszy is used for one person, whereas Jesteście najlepsi is used for multiple people.
How does it change in a sentence?
If you are speaking to a woman, you must use the feminine form Jesteś najlepsza instead of the masculine Jesteś najlepszy. To say 'you all are the best' to a group of men or a mixed-gender group, use Jesteście najlepsi. To say 'you all are the best' to a group consisting only of women, use Jesteście najlepsze.
Did you know?
- The word lepszy is part of a 'suppletive' pair, meaning its root changes entirely when comparing 'good' to 'better' or 'best', much like the English 'good' and 'better'.
- If you want to say 'you're the best' to a person you highly respect in a formal setting, you cannot use Jesteś najlepszy and must instead use the formal 'you' forms.
- The word najlepszy contains the prefix naj-, which acts as a universal 'superlative maker' for almost all adjectives in the language.
Examples in context
- Myślisz, że jesteś najlepszy, prawda?You think you're the best, don't you?This sentence uses Jesteś najlepszy to pose a rhetorical question about thinking one is the best.Tatoeba #5383069 by Tomash, translation #5380215 by CK
- Jesteś najlepszym człowiekiem do tej pracy.You're the best man for the job.This sentence uses Jesteś najlepszy to describe someone as the best person for a specific job.Tatoeba #527803 by Bilberry, translation #17693 by CK
- Jesteś najlepszy, dziękuję za pomoc!You're the best, thank you for the help!
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Małgorzata is thanking Krzysztof for fixing her computer.
- MałgorzataKrzysztof, komputer znów działa!Krzysztof, the computer is working again!
- KrzysztofCieszę się, że mogłem pomóc.I'm glad I could help.
- MałgorzataJesteś najlepszy, naprawdę!You're the best, really!
- KrzysztofNie ma za co.You're welcome.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries najlepszy, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
