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Questions & Answers about To jabłko jest świeże.
Why is it To jabłko instead of Ten jabłko?
Because jabłko (apple) is a neuter noun in Polish, and the correct demonstrative pronoun for neuter nouns is to, not ten (which is used for masculine nouns).
Why does świeże end with -e instead of -y or -a?
Adjectives in Polish must match the gender of the noun they describe. Jabłko is neuter, so the adjective świeży (fresh) takes its neuter ending, świeże.
Could I just say To jabłko świeże without jest?
In everyday speech, some people may drop jest, but grammatically it’s more complete (and natural-sounding) to include jest. Saying To jabłko świeże can be seen as more telegraphic, though in casual contexts you might hear it.
Why is there no article like “a” or “the” in this sentence?
Polish doesn’t use articles (like “a” or “the”). If you want to emphasize that it’s this apple, you just use the demonstrative to. If you mean an apple generally, it’s simply jabłko or to jabłko in different contexts, without an article.
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