Breakdown of Nigdy nie zapominam paszportu, gdy lecę samolotem.
ja
I
nie
not
gdy
when
nigdy
never
zapominać
to forget
samolot
the plane
paszport
the passport
lecieć
to fly
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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.
Why do we use the instrumental case samolotem instead of samolot?
To express means of transport, Polish uses the instrumental case. lecieć samolotem literally means to fly by plane, with samolotem indicating the instrument or method.
What is the difference between gdy and kiedy? Could I use kiedy here?
Both gdy and kiedy mean when. gdy is slightly more formal or literary, but in everyday speech you can say kiedy lecę samolotem without changing the meaning.
Why is the verb lecę in the present tense? Does it indicate a general habit?
Yes. The present tense of the imperfective verb lecieć (to fly) can express habitual actions. gdy lecę translates as whenever I fly.
Could I use the perfective form nie zapomnę instead of nie zapominam?
You can, but it changes the nuance. nie zapominam (imperfective) describes a general habit: I never forget. nie zapomnę (perfective) refers to a single future event: I will not forget (this time).