Learn Hardcore Polish: Mogę iść do kina po pracy. - I can go to the cinema after work.

In Polish, móc (“to be able to” or “may”) expresses general possibility or permission. Umieć means “to know how” (a learned skill). Going to the cinema is about having the opportunity or permission, not about a mastered skill, so you use mogę, not umiem.

Why is the verb iść in the infinitive and not conjugated?

After modal verbs like móc, Polish requires the infinitive form of the main action. So mogę (I can) is followed by iść (to go).

Why isn’t iść in a future tense if it refers to “going after work”?

In Polish, the present tense of a modal verb plus an infinitive can refer to future actions if a time expression is given. Here, po pracy (“after work”) makes it clear you’re talking about the future, so you don’t need a separate future form.

Which case is kina in, and why?

After the preposition do (“to”/“into”), the noun takes the genitive case. The nominative kino becomes kina in the genitive singular.

What case is po pracy, and why isn’t it pracę?

When po means “after” in temporal expressions, it governs the locative. Praca in the locative singular is pracy (identical in form to the genitive). If you mistakenly use the accusative, you’d get po pracę, which is wrong here.

Why aren’t there any articles like “the” before kino or pracy?

Polish has no definite or indefinite articles. Context alone tells you whether you mean “the cinema,” “a cinema,” etc.

Can I change the word order to Po pracy mogę iść do kina?

Yes. Polish word order is relatively flexible. Fronting po pracy puts extra emphasis on “after work,” but the basic meaning stays the same.

Could I use the perfective verb pójść instead of iść?

Yes, but perfective verbs can’t appear in the present tense. You’d have to say Po pracy pójdę do kina (“After work I will go to the cinema”), using pójdę (1 sg. future).