Learn Hardcore Polish: Warzywa są tańsze rano, dlatego idziemy na rynek wcześniej. - Vegetables are cheaper in the morning, therefore we go to the market earlier.

Tańsze is the comparative form of the adjective tani, meaning “cheaper.” It agrees with warzywa (vegetables), which is plural and in the nominative case, so you use the plural-nominative comparative ending -sze.

Why is warzywa in the plural, and what would the singular be?

Warzywa is the plural form of warzywo (“vegetable”). In Polish, when talking about vegetables in general you normally use the plural. The singular warzywo is used only when you refer to one specific vegetable.

What is rano here? Is it a noun or an adverb, and does it decline?

Rano is an adverb meaning “in the morning.” It does not decline (you don’t change its form for case, gender, or number), and it can appear in different positions in the sentence.

Why does the sentence use dlatego instead of dlaczego? What’s the difference?

Dlatego means “therefore” or “that’s why” and introduces a result or conclusion. Dlaczego means “why” and is used to ask a question. Here we need to express cause and effect, so we use dlatego.

What case and role does na rynek have, and why?

Na rynek uses the preposition na with the accusative case (rynek) to show movement toward a place (“to the market”). If you were talking about being at the market, you’d use the locative (na rynku), but for going somewhere you need the accusative.

Why is idziemy in the present tense when talking about going to the market in the future?

In Polish, the present tense often expresses a near-future action when context is clear. Idziemy literally means “we go,” but in this context it’s understood as “we are going” or “we will go” soon.

What does wcześniej mean, and why is it placed at the end of the sentence?

Wcześniej is an adverb meaning “earlier.” It modifies idziemy by specifying when the action happens. Placing it at the end emphasizes the time; you could also say idziemy wcześniej na rynek without changing the meaning.

Could you swap the order of wcześniej and na rynek, and would it change the meaning?

Yes. Both idziemy wcześniej na rynek and idziemy na rynek wcześniej are correct and mean the same thing. Polish word order is relatively flexible with adverbs, so this change only slightly shifts the emphasis.