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Questions & Answers about Na razie czekam w domu.
What does na razie mean and how does it differ from teraz?
Na razie means “for now” or “for the time being,” implying this situation is temporary and may change. Teraz simply means “now” (the immediate present moment) without that sense of “until further notice.”
Why is czekam used here and not poczekam or będę czekać?
Czekam is the imperfective present (“I am waiting”), describing an ongoing action. Poczekam is perfective (“I will wait [and then stop]”), so you wouldn’t use it for what you’re doing right now. Będę czekać is future continuous (“I will be waiting”), so it’s used when talking about a future waiting period.
Why isn’t there an object with czekam? Shouldn’t it be czekać na coś (wait for something)?
When you wait for something specific, you use czekać na + accusative (e.g. czekam na autobus = “I’m waiting for the bus”). Without a specific object, czekam on its own just means “I’m waiting [at the moment].”
What case is domu, and why is it used after w?
Domu is the locative singular of dom. After the preposition w (meaning “in” or “at” when indicating location), Polish uses the locative: w domu = “in/at home.”
Could you say Na razie czekam w mieszkaniu instead, and would it change the meaning?
Yes. W mieszkaniu also takes the locative and means “in the apartment.” It’s perfectly natural if you want to specify “apartment” instead of “house.”
Is it possible to move na razie to the end — Czekam w domu na razie?
Technically it’s understandable, but it sounds less idiomatic. Placing time expressions like na razie at the beginning is more natural in Polish.
Why can’t I say Na razie czekam domu without w?
The preposition w is required to show location. You need w domu (“in/at home”); dropping w would be ungrammatical here.
How do you pronounce Na razie czekam w domu?
Roughly: NAH RAH-zhyeh CHEH-kam v DOH-moo.
• ż in razie sounds like the “s” in “measure.”
• cz in czekam is like the “ch” in “cherry.”
Could I replace na razie with chwilowo or tymczasem?
Yes. Chwilowo czekam w domu or Tymczasem czekam w domu both convey “for the moment / in the meantime I’m waiting at home.” Na razie is just the most common colloquial choice.
What nuance does na razie add to czekam w domu compared to just czekam w domu?
Adding na razie emphasizes that this waiting-at-home is temporary and will likely change soon. Czekam w domu alone simply states the fact “I am waiting at home” without that extra shade of “for now.”