Ja idę pieszo do pracy.

I am going to work on foot.

Breakdown of Ja idę pieszo do pracy.

• ja: I
• iść: to go
• do: to
• praca: the work
• pieszo: on foot

Questions & Answers about Ja idę pieszo do pracy.

Why is ja included at the beginning of the sentence?

In Polish, subject pronouns are optional because verb endings already indicate the person. Including ja (I) adds emphasis or contrast (e.g. to distinguish from someone else). Without emphasis you would normally say Idę pieszo do pracy.

What does idę mean and why is this verb used instead of another?

Idę is the 1st person singular present tense form of iść (“to go on foot,” one-way motion). Polish distinguishes unidirectional verbs of motion like iść (I’m going in one direction) from multidirectional ones like chodzić (I go/walk habitually or back and forth). Since this sentence describes a specific trip to work right now, idę is the correct choice.

What part of speech is pieszo and why is it used here?

Pieszo is an adverb meaning “on foot.” It describes the manner of motion. In English you’d say “I go on foot to work,” and in Polish pieszo fulfills that role.

Why is it do pracy and not another case?

The preposition do (to) always requires the genitive case. Praca (work) in the genitive becomes pracy, so do pracy means “to work.”

Why are there no articles like “the” or “a” in the sentence?

Polish does not use articles. There is no equivalent of “a,” “an,” or “the,” so you simply say Idę pieszo do pracy without any article.

Can the word order change in this sentence?

Yes, Polish has relatively free word order for emphasis or style. You could say Pieszo idę do pracy, Do pracy idę pieszo or even Ja pieszo idę do pracy. The core meaning remains the same.

What happens if you omit pieszo?

Without pieszo, Idę do pracy simply means “I’m going to work.” You lose the specific detail that you’re walking; it could imply any mode of travel, though context often clarifies it.

Are there alternative expressions for pieszo?

Yes. A colloquial synonym is na piechotę, e.g. Idę na piechotę do pracy. Less common are expressions like na nogach (“on [my] legs”), but pieszo is the most standard adverb.