Ona ma psa.

to have

Breakdown of Ona ma psa.

• ona: she
• pies: the dog

Questions & Answers about Ona ma psa.

Why do we use psa instead of the dictionary form pies?

In Polish, pies (“dog”) is in the nominative case, which is typically used for the subject of a sentence. However, when dog becomes the direct object of a verb (as in “She has a dog”), Polish requires the accusative case. The accusative form of pies is psa.

How do we pronounce the word psa?

Psa is pronounced roughly like “psah.” The initial ps cluster can feel awkward for English speakers, so try saying p and s quickly back-to-back without inserting an extra vowel.

Is ona necessary in Ona ma psa?

In Polish, subject pronouns (like ona = “she”) can often be dropped because the verb form gives enough information about the subject. So you can say Ma psa without confusion. However, including ona can emphasize “she” or make the subject more explicit.

Does the verb ma change for other persons or subjects?

Yes, the verb mieć (“to have”) conjugates differently depending on the subject. For example:
• Ja mam (I have)
• Ty masz (You have)
• On/Ona ma (He/She has)
• My mamy (We have)
• Wy macie (You all have)
• Oni/One mają (They have)

Are there any important grammar points about word order in Ona ma psa?

Polish word order is relatively flexible due to the case system, so Ona ma psa and Ma ona psa both convey the same idea. However, the most straightforward and natural order in Polish is subject–verb–object, which is Ona ma psa.