Learn Hardcore Polish: Głodny pies powoli spaceruje, bo ma mało energii. - The hungry dog walks slowly because it has little energy.

Polish does not use articles. Definiteness or indefiniteness is inferred from context rather than marked by words like a or the. So Głodny pies can mean “a hungry dog” or “the hungry dog,” depending on the situation.

Why is głodny placed before pies, instead of after like in English?

In Polish the normal order is adjective + noun. Adjectives agree with the noun in gender, number, and case. Here głodny (hungry) and pies (dog) are both masculine singular nominative, so you say głodny pies.

What part of speech is powoli, and why does it come before spaceruje?

Powoli is an adverb meaning “slowly.” In Polish, adverbs typically appear right before or after the verb they modify. Thus powoli spaceruje = “(he) walks slowly.”

Why use spacerować here instead of iść?

Spacerować implies walking for leisure or strolling, whereas iść is a more general verb for “to go” or “to walk” (often with a destination). The sentence describes a leisurely, slow walk, so spaceruje is the natural choice.

Why is there no preposition before spaceruje, like “z” or “na”?

Spacerować is an intransitive verb that does not require a preposition when describing the simple act of walking. You only add prepositions if you specify direction or location (e.g., spacerować po parku, “stroll around the park”).

What is the difference between bo and ponieważ for “because”?

Bo is colloquial and common in spoken Polish.
Ponieważ is more formal or typical in writing.
Both introduce a reason, but bo is shorter and very frequent in conversation.

How do mało and niewiele differ when meaning “little” or “few”?

Mało is more colloquial and versatile: you can say mało czasu, mało ludzi.
Niewiele is slightly more formal or emphatic: niewiele czasu, niewiele osób.
Both require the genitive case for the noun they quantify.

What case is energii, and why is it used here?

Energii is genitive singular feminine. After words like mało (“little, not much”), Polish uses the genitive case to show a small quantity. So ma mało energii literally means “has little of energy.”

Could you say nie ma energii instead of ma mało energii?

Yes, but the meanings differ slightly:

Nie ma energii = “has no energy” (zero energy).
Ma mało energii = “has little energy” (some energy, but not much).

How do you pronounce the ł in głodny?

The letter ł is pronounced like the English w in water. So głodny sounds roughly like “GWOD-nih” [ˈɡwɔd.nɨ].