Learn Hardcore Polish: W mieście wiatr bywa zimny, ale deszcz jest gorący latem. - In the city the wind can be cold, but the rain is hot in summer.

Mieście is the locative singular of miasto. After the preposition w when expressing location (where something is happening), Polish requires the locative case.

What does bywa mean, and how is it different from jest?

Bywa is the third-person singular of bywać, meaning “to be at times” or “to happen occasionally.” It implies that the wind can sometimes be cold, but not always. Jest (“is”) from być simply states a fact or characteristic without emphasizing variability.

Why is the adjective zimny used here instead of the adverb zimno?

Zimny is an adjective describing the noun wiatr (“wind”). Adjectives agree with the noun’s gender, number and case. Zimno is an adverb or impersonal predicate used for general weather statements (“it is cold”), not for describing a specific noun.

What case is latem, and why is it used to mean “in summer”?

Latem is the instrumental singular of lato (“summer”). Polish frequently uses the instrumental case adverbially to indicate time (e.g. jesienią, zimą, latem = “in autumn,” “in winter,” “in summer”).

Why isn’t there an article before wiatr or deszcz, like “the” or “a” in English?

Polish has no articles (no equivalents of “a,” “an,” or “the”). Definiteness or indefiniteness is understood from context, word order, or additional demonstratives (ten wiatr, “this wind”).

Why is there a comma before ale?

In Polish, as in English, a comma separates two independent clauses joined by conjunctions like ale (“but”). You write [clause 1], ale [clause 2].

What’s the difference between a and ale for “but,” and why choose ale here?

Both a and ale can mean “but” or “and yet.” A often introduces a mild contrast or additional point, while ale expresses a stronger, more emphatic opposition. Here, ale highlights the sharp contrast between the cold wind and the hot rain.

Can I change the word order and say Wiatr bywa zimny w mieście instead of W mieście wiatr bywa zimny?

Yes. Wiatr bywa zimny w mieście is perfectly correct and more neutral. Placing w mieście at the start shifts emphasis onto the location; moving it to the end focuses on the wind’s quality first.