Breakdown of Latem słońce świeci długo na niebie.
długo
long
na
in
słońce
the sun
latem
in the summer
niebo
the sky
świecić
to shine
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Questions & Answers about Latem słońce świeci długo na niebie.
What does Latem mean, and why is it used instead of lato?
Latem means “in summer.” It’s the instrumental form of the noun lato (summer), used adverbially to express when something happens. In Polish, seasons often take the instrumental to form time expressions: latem, zimą, wiosną, jesienią.
Can I say w lecie instead of latem?
Yes. w lecie also means “in summer” (preposition w + locative lecie). Both are correct, though latem is more concise and common in everyday speech.
What gender is słońce, and how can I recognize it?
Słońce is neuter. Neuter nouns often end in -e, and their nominative and accusative forms are identical (słońce). Adjectives or pronouns referring to it would also take neuter endings (e.g. jasne słońce).
What is świeci, and what tense/aspect does it express?
Świeci is the 3rd person singular present tense of the imperfective verb świecić (“to shine”). Imperfective aspect describes ongoing or habitual actions, so słońce świeci can mean either “the sun shines” (habitually) or “the sun is shining” (right now).
How do I know if it means “shines” or “is shining”?
Polish uses the same present-tense form for both simple and continuous meanings. Context tells you which: general facts use “the sun shines,” while a description of right now uses “the sun is shining.”
What kind of word is długo, and why does it follow the verb?
Długo is an adverb meaning “for a long time.” In Polish, adverbs normally follow the verb they modify. Here, długo describes how long the sun shines.
Why is it na niebie, and what case is niebie?
Niebie is the locative case of niebo (sky). After the preposition na indicating location, Polish uses the locative. So na niebie literally is “on the sky,” but idiomatically “in the sky.”
Could we use w niebie instead?
Although w niebie (with locative niebie) is grammatically possible, native speakers use na niebie for the physical sky. w niebie is more common when referring to “heaven.”
Is the word order in Latem słońce świeci długo na niebie fixed?
Polish word order is flexible because cases mark the roles of words. The neutral order here is Subject–Verb–Adverb–Prepositional Phrase. You could shift elements for emphasis—for example, Długo latem świeci słońce na niebie highlights długo—but the original order is the most neutral.
How do you pronounce słońce świeci długo na niebie?
Approximate pronunciation for an English speaker:
• słońce [ˈswɔɲt͡sɛ] → SWOYN-tseh
• świeci [ˈɕfjɛt͡ɕi] → SHVYEH-tsee
• długo [ˈdwɔɡɔ] → DWOH-go
• na [na] → nah
• niebie [ˈɲɛbjɛ] → NYEH-byeh