W razie gdyby matecznik był pusty, sprawdź królową pszczół.

W razie means in case of, in the event of, or more loosely if it turns out that.

In this sentence, w razie gdyby... introduces a possible situation that may happen:

• W razie gdyby matecznik był pusty... = In case the queen cell is empty...

A useful thing to know is that w razie is often used with a noun:

• w razie pożaru = in case of fire
• w razie problemów = in case of problems

But it can also be followed by a clause, as here, with gdyby.

Gdyby introduces a more hypothetical or less certain condition than jeśli.

Compare:

• jeśli matecznik jest pusty = if the queen cell is empty
  → a neutral, straightforward condition

• gdyby matecznik był pusty = if the queen cell were empty / if it should be empty
  → more hypothetical, more tentative

So w razie gdyby... has a cautious, instructional feel: in case it should happen that...

This kind of wording is common in instructions, manuals, and formal advice.

Yes, był is formally the past-tense form of być (to be), but in a construction with gdyby, it does not mean past time here.

In Polish, hypothetical conditions are often built with:

• gdyby
  • past-tense form

So:

• gdyby był = if it were / if it should be
• not necessarily if it was

This is similar to how English sometimes uses a past-looking form for unreal or hypothetical meaning:

• If it were empty...

Also, był is masculine singular because it agrees with matecznik, which is a masculine singular noun.

Because pusty is a predicate adjective used with być (to be), and in Polish that adjective normally stays in the nominative.

Here:

• matecznik = nominative singular
• był pusty = was empty / were empty

So pusty agrees with matecznik in gender and number:

• masculine singular noun → pusty

Compare:

• Dom był pusty = The house was empty
• Komora była pusta = The chamber was empty
• Gniazdo było puste = The nest was empty

Matecznik is in the nominative singular because it is the subject of the clause:

• matecznik był pusty = the queen cell was empty

The subject of a Polish sentence is usually in the nominative, just as in English.

This phrase contains two different cases:

• królową = accusative singular
• pszczół = genitive plural

Here is why:

1. królową

The verb sprawdź (check) takes a direct object, so królowa changes to the accusative:

• nominative: królowa
• accusative: królową

So:

• sprawdź królową = check the queen

2. pszczół

This means of bees. It is a genitive plural form after the noun królowa:

• królowa pszczół = literally queen of bees

So the whole phrase means:

• sprawdź królową pszczół = check the queen bee

Even though English usually says queen bee, Polish often expresses this idea as queen of bees.

It refers to one queen.

The head noun is królową — singular accusative of królowa.
The word pszczół is plural because it means of bees.

So the structure is:

• one queen
• of the bees

That is why the phrase is singular overall, even though pszczół is plural.

Sprawdź is the imperative form of sprawdzić (to check).

It means:

• check!

More specifically, it is the 2nd person singular imperative, used when addressing one person.

Examples:

• sprawdź = check! (to one person)
• sprawdźcie = check! (to more than one person)

In instructions, Polish often uses the imperative very naturally, so this sentence sounds like a direct instruction.

The comma separates the subordinate conditional clause from the main clause:

• W razie gdyby matecznik był pusty,
  subordinate clause

• sprawdź królową pszczół.
  main clause

In Polish, clauses introduced by words like gdyby, jeśli, że, kiedy, etc. are normally separated by commas.

So the comma is standard and expected here.

It is natural, especially in careful, formal, or instructional language.

It may feel slightly expanded because both parts express possibility:

• w razie = in case
• gdyby = if it should happen that

But together they create a very normal cautious-instruction style.

You could also find alternatives such as:

• Jeśli matecznik jest pusty, sprawdź królową pszczół.
  = more direct, less hypothetical

• Na wypadek, gdyby matecznik był pusty, sprawdź królową pszczół.
  = also in case, slightly more formal/bookish

So w razie gdyby is not wrong; it just has a slightly formal in case it should be... tone.

Yes. A simpler everyday version would be:

• Jeśli matecznik jest pusty, sprawdź królową pszczół.

That version uses:

• jeśli instead of w razie gdyby
• jest instead of był

This sounds more direct and less hypothetical.

The original sentence is still correct, but it feels a bit more formal or procedural, which fits instructions well.