Na podłodze w kuchni widzę trochę wody, musimy ją szybko wytrzeć.

On the floor in the kitchen, I see some water; we must quickly wipe it.

Breakdown of Na podłodze w kuchni widzę trochę wody, musimy ją szybko wytrzeć.

• ja: I
• w: in
• woda: the water
• na: on
• kuchnia: the kitchen
• musieć: to have to
• szybko: quickly
• podłoga: the floor
• my: we
• widzieć: to see
• trochę: some
• wytrzeć: to wipe

Questions & Answers about Na podłodze w kuchni widzę trochę wody, musimy ją szybko wytrzeć.

Why is the preposition na used with podłodze instead of w?

Because in Polish, na is used to indicate a location on a surface. Since a floor is considered a surface, na podłodze correctly means “on the floor.” Using w (which generally implies being inside an enclosure) wouldn’t be appropriate here.

What grammatical case are podłodze and kuchni in, and why are these cases used?

Both podłodze and kuchni are in the locative case. In Polish, when location is expressed with prepositions like na (for surfaces) and w (for interiors), the following noun takes the locative case to specify where something is.

Why is wody in the genitive case in the phrase trochę wody?

The quantifier trochę (meaning “a little” or “some”) requires the noun it modifies to be in the genitive case. This partitive construction is common in Polish when talking about an indefinite or limited amount of something.

What is the role of the pronoun ją in musimy ją szybko wytrzeć, and why is it placed there?

The pronoun ją is the accusative form of the feminine pronoun referring back to woda (“water”), the object that needs to be wiped. In Polish, object pronouns are typically placed before the verb, which is why ją comes before szybko wytrzeć.

Why is the perfective verb wytrzeć used here instead of the imperfective form wycierać?

Wytrzeć is the perfective form, indicating that the action of wiping up the water is seen as a complete, bounded action. Since the sentence expresses a need to finish the task quickly and completely, the perfective aspect is appropriate. The imperfective form would have suggested an ongoing or habitual action.

Why are subject pronouns omitted in this sentence?

Polish often drops subject pronouns because the verb endings clearly indicate the subject. In widzę, the ending shows that the speaker is “I,” and in musimy, the form indicates “we.” This omission is standard practice and helps keep sentences concise.

What is the function of the adverb szybko in musimy ją szybko wytrzeć, and why is it placed before the verb?

The adverb szybko modifies the verb wytrzeć, telling us how the action should be done—namely, quickly. In Polish, adverbs typically come before the verb they modify, so placing szybko immediately before wytrzeć clarifies that the wiping must be performed in a rapid manner.