Nigdy nie zapominam paszportu, gdy lecę samolotem.

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Breakdown of Nigdy nie zapominam paszportu, gdy lecę samolotem.

• nie: not
• gdy: when
• nigdy: never

Questions & Answers about Nigdy nie zapominam paszportu, gdy lecę samolotem.

Why does the sentence use both nigdy and nie?

In Polish, when you use a negative adverb like nigdy (never), you also negate the verb with nie. This double negation is grammatically correct and reinforces the negation, so Nigdy nie zapominam translates as I never forget.

Why is paszport declined to paszportu (genitive) instead of using the accusative?

The verb zapominać (to forget) takes its object in the genitive case (zapominać czegoś). Therefore paszport becomes paszportu to indicate the thing being forgotten.

Could I say zapominam o paszporcie instead of zapominam paszportu?

Yes. The construction zapominać o czymś uses the locative case (o paszporcie) and means to forget about something. In contrast, zapominam paszportu (genitive) emphasizes forgetting to bring the passport.

Why is there no possessive pronoun like mój in front of paszportu?

In Polish, possessive pronouns are often omitted when context makes ownership clear. Since it’s obvious you mean your own passport, simply saying paszportu is enough.