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Questions & Answers about Mój samochód jest drogi.
Why is it mój, not moje or moja?
mój is the masculine-singular-nominative form of the possessive adjective “my.” Polish possessive adjectives agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they modify. Since samochód (“car”) is masculine singular in the nominative case, you use mój. If the noun were feminine (e.g. książka “book”), you’d say moja książka; if neuter (e.g. okno “window”), moje okno.
What gender and case is samochód, and how can I recognize it?
Samochód ends in a consonant, so it’s almost always masculine. Here it’s the nominative singular form because it’s the subject of the sentence. A quick rule of thumb: Polish nouns ending in a consonant are generally masculine, but always check a dictionary for exceptions (e.g. dźwięk “sound” is masculine; kęs “bite” is masculine; but róg “horn” is masculine despite the “ą” ending).
Why is drogi the correct adjective form for “expensive”?
Drogi is the masculine-singular-nominative form of the adjective meaning “expensive.” Adjectives in Polish also agree with the noun they describe. Since samochód is masculine singular nominative, drogi matches it.
Does drogi ever mean “dear”? How do I tell which meaning is intended?
Yes—drogi can mean either “expensive” (e.g. drogi samochód “an expensive car”) or “dear”/“beloved” (e.g. drogi przyjaciel “dear friend”). Context is your guide. If you see price tags or talk about cost, it’s “expensive.” If you’re addressing someone in a letter (Drogi Janie, …), it’s “dear.”
Why do we need jest? Could I say Mój samochód drogi?
Jest is the 3rd person singular present of być (“to be”), and Polish requires a linking verb in most present‐tense nominal sentences. Omitting jest (i.e. Mój samochód drogi) would sound incomplete or poetic.
How do I form the question “Is my car expensive?” in Polish?
You can either add czy at the beginning:
• Czy mój samochód jest drogi?
Or simply use rising intonation:
• Mój samochód jest drogi?
How is Mój samochód jest drogi pronounced, and where do I put the stress?
Pronunciation (approximate):
• Mój [muj]
• samochód [sa–MO–ḥoot] (stress on the penultimate syllable “MO”)
• jest [yest]
• drogi [DRO–gi] (stress on “DRO”)
So altogether: [muj sa–MO–ḥoot yest DRO–gi].
Why doesn’t Polish use articles like “the” or “a”?
Polish has no articles. Definiteness or indefiniteness is inferred from context, word order, or demonstratives (ten “that,” jakiś “some”). So “Mój samochód jest drogi” can mean “My car is expensive” or, in the right context, “The car of mine is expensive.”
Can I change the word order, for example say Samochód mój jest drogi?
Yes, Polish word order is relatively flexible. Putting samochód before mój shifts the emphasis slightly (perhaps contrasting it with something else). However, the most neutral, everyday order is Mój samochód jest drogi.