Learn Hardcore Polish: On jest Piotr.

In Polish, on is the masculine third-person singular pronoun, meaning he. Using on here makes it very clear that you’re talking about a male person. While you might sometimes omit the pronoun in Polish if the context is already clear, using on in this example explicitly states “He is Piotr.”

What does jest mean in this sentence?

Jest is the third-person singular form of the verb być (to be). So On jest Piotr literally translates to He is Piotr in English.

Is it correct to say To jest Piotr instead of On jest Piotr?

Yes, To jest Piotr is also correct and is frequently used in everyday speech. To jest Piotr is like saying This is Piotr in English. Both forms are acceptable, but On jest Piotr places more emphasis on “he,” whereas To jest Piotr introduces him as “this” person.

Could we ever say On jest Piotrem?

In most cases, you would simply say On jest Piotr or To jest Piotr when introducing someone by name. On jest Piotrem can appear in a more complex grammatical context, for example if you are describing someone’s role or identity (using the instrumental case), but it’s less common when simply introducing someone.

Is Piotr just the Polish version of “Peter”?

Yes, Piotr is the Polish equivalent of the English name “Peter.” It’s a very common name in Poland.