Log inSign up

Nie mam teraz pieniędzy, więc kupię mniejszy zegarek.

Nie mam teraz pieniędzy, więc kupię mniejszy zegarek.
I don’t have money now, so I will buy a smaller watch.
FromLesson 7inHardcore Polish

Breakdown of Nie mam teraz pieniędzy, więc kupię mniejszy zegarek.

mieć
to have
mały
small
nie
not
więc
so
teraz
now
kupić
to buy
zegarek
the watch

Questions & Answers about Nie mam teraz pieniędzy, więc kupię mniejszy zegarek.

Why is pieniędzy in the genitive case instead of the accusative?

In Polish, when you negate possession with nie mam (I don’t have), the thing you “don’t have” goes into the genitive, not the accusative.

  • mieć coś → affirmative takes accusative (mam pieniądze)
  • nie mieć czegoś → negative takes genitive (nie mam pieniędzy)
What part of speech is teraz, and why is it placed between nie mam and pieniędzy?

teraz is an adverb meaning “now.” Polish word order is quite flexible, but placing teraz between the verb and its object emphasizes the time:

  • standard neutral: Nie mam pieniędzy teraz.
  • emphasis on now: Nie mam teraz pieniędzy.
What does więc mean, and how is it used here?

więc is a conjunction meaning “so” or “therefore.” It links the lack of money to the consequence (buying a smaller watch). It can appear at the beginning or middle of the second clause:

  • …pieniędzy, więc kupię…
  • …pieniędzy więc kupię…
Why is kupię (future tense of the perfective verb) used instead of kupuję?
Polish verbs come in aspect pairs. kupić is perfective (completed action), so its “present” form kupię actually means “I will buy.” kupować is imperfective, so kupuję means “I am buying” or “I buy” (ongoing/habitual), not a simple future.
Why is mniejszy used here, and what form is it?
mniejszy is the comparative form of mały (“small”). It means “smaller.” You use it when comparing sizes or, as here, choosing a smaller watch because of budget constraints.
Shouldn’t mniejszy zegarek be in the accusative case after kupię? Why doesn’t it look different?

Good question! kupię takes the accusative, but for masculine inanimate nouns:

  • nominative = accusative form and
  • adjectives (here mniejszy) share that shape.
    So mniejszy zegarek is both nominative and accusative in this context.
Why is the subject pronoun ja omitted before kupię?
Polish verbs are conjugated for person, so the ending -ę in kupię already indicates “I.” Adding ja is grammatically correct but redundant, used only for emphasis.
Could I change the word order in the sentence?

Yes. Polish is flexible, but shifting words changes emphasis:

  • Teraz nie mam pieniędzy, więc kupię mniejszy zegarek. (focus on “now”)
  • Nie mam pieniędzy, więc mniejszy zegarek kupię. (focus on “smaller watch”)
    All versions are understandable; choose the one that highlights your point.
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Polish grammar?”
Polish grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.

Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor

Start learning Polish

Master Polish — from Nie mam teraz pieniędzy, więc kupię mniejszy zegarek to fluency

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
  • ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
  • ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
  • ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions
Open the Polish course →