Pilot ostrzega, że lot o północy może być opóźniony.

The pilot warns that the midnight flight may be delayed.

Breakdown of Pilot ostrzega, że lot o północy może być opóźniony.

• być: to be
• że: that
• lot: the flight
• o północy: at midnight
• opóźniony: delayed
• ostrzegać: to warn
• móc: may
• pilot: the pilot

Questions & Answers about Pilot ostrzega, że lot o północy może być opóźniony.

In Pilot ostrzega, why is the verb ostrzega and not ostrzeże? What’s the difference?

ostrzegać is an imperfective verb, so ostrzega is its 3rd person singular present form (“he warns”). ostrzec is perfective, and its 3rd person singular future is ostrzeże (“he will warn once”). We use the imperfective present when we talk about an ongoing or habitual warning, not a single, completed act.

What role does że play in this sentence, and does it change Polish word order like German dass?

że means that and simply introduces a subordinate clause. Unlike German dass, it does not force the verb to the end. Polish subordinate clauses normally follow the same subject–verb–object (SVO) pattern as main clauses, unless you deliberately front an element.

Why is lot in the nominative case after że, and not in the accusative after ostrzega?

Within the clause że lot o północy może być opóźniony, lot functions as the subject of może być and so it’s in the nominative. że itself doesn’t govern case. If you said Pilot ostrzega lot, then lot would be the direct object of ostrzegać and would take accusative—but in this sentence lot is not the object of ostrzega, it’s the subject of the subordinate clause.

In o północy, what case is północy, and why do we use o and not w?

północy is the locative singular of północ (midnight). We use o + locative for precise time points: o trzeciej, o północy, o ósmej. By contrast, w + locative (e.g. w nocy, w poniedziałek) is used for broader time spans or days.

What’s the difference between noc and północ?

noc means the “night” in general (the whole period of darkness). północ refers to the exact moment when one day ends and the next begins (midnight). (Separately, północ can also mean “north,” but that’s a different sense.)

Why are there three verbs in a row—może być opóźniony?

This is a modal construction plus passive participle:

1. móc (to be able/may) → może (3 sg.)
2. być (to be) as a passive auxiliary
3. opóźniony the passive past participle of opóźnić (to delay)
   Together, może być opóźniony means “may be delayed.”

Could I say lot może się opóźnić instead? What’s the difference?

Yes. lot może się opóźnić uses the reflexive verb opóźnić się (“to become delayed”) instead of the periphrastic passive. It’s more colloquial and often feels more natural in everyday speech, while może być opóźniony sounds slightly more formal or technical.

If I talk about loty (flights) in the plural, how would opóźniony change?

loty is masculine inanimate plural, so the participle/adjective must be plural inanimate: opóźnione.
You’d say: Loty o północy mogą być opóźnione.