Ja idę do sklepu, bo nie mam chleba.

I am going to the store because I don't have bread.

Breakdown of Ja idę do sklepu, bo nie mam chleba.

• ja: I
• mieć: to have
• chleb: the bread
• sklep: the store
• iść: to go
• do: to
• bo: because

Questions & Answers about Ja idę do sklepu, bo nie mam chleba.

Why is the subject pronoun Ja included at the beginning of the sentence, even though Polish often omits subject pronouns?

Polish verbs are conjugated to indicate the subject, so the pronoun is usually unnecessary. Including Ja can add emphasis or clarity, highlighting that it is specifically “I” who am going.

What does the form idę mean, and which verb is it derived from?

idę is the first-person singular present tense form of the verb iść, meaning “to go (by foot).” It indicates that the speaker is currently going somewhere.

Why is the phrase do sklepu used to indicate “to the store,” and what is the role of its form?

The preposition do in Polish always takes a noun in the genitive case. sklepu is the genitive singular form of sklep, so do sklepu correctly expresses movement “to the store.”

What is the function of bo in this sentence?

bo is a subordinating conjunction meaning because. It introduces the subordinate clause that provides the reason for the action mentioned in the main clause.

Why does the phrase nie mam chleba use chleba in the genitive case rather than the accusative?

When negating the verb mieć (“to have”), Polish typically uses the genitive case for its object. This is known as the genitive of negation, so nie mam chleba is grammatically correct.

Is the comma before bo necessary, and what purpose does it serve?

Yes, the comma is required by Polish punctuation rules. It separates the main clause from the subordinate clause introduced by bo, clearly signaling the division between the two parts.

Can bo be replaced with another conjunction, and if so, what difference does it make?

Yes, you can replace bo with ponieważ, which also means because. ponieważ is slightly more formal and explicit, while bo is more commonly used in everyday, colloquial speech.