Breakdown of Ja jem obiad tylko wtedy, gdy jestem głodny.
ja
I
być
to be
obiad
the dinner
jeść
to eat
głodny
hungry
tylko wtedy, gdy
only when
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Questions & Answers about Ja jem obiad tylko wtedy, gdy jestem głodny.
Why is ja included at the beginning? Can I drop it?
In Polish, subject pronouns like ja (“I”) are optional because the verb ending -em already tells you the subject is “I.” You can certainly say Jem obiad tylko wtedy, gdy jestem głodny without ja. Including ja adds emphasis or clarity.
Why is obiad in the accusative case?
The verb jeść (“to eat”) is transitive and takes a direct object in the accusative. Here obiad is what you eat, so it’s in the accusative. (In this case the accusative form of obiad is identical to the nominative.)
What does tylko wtedy, gdy mean, and can I replace it with tylko gdy or tylko jak?
tylko wtedy, gdy means “only at the times when” or simply “only when.”
- You can shorten it to tylko gdy (“only when”) without changing the basic meaning, though it’s a bit less emphatic.
- Colloquially some people say tylko jak, especially in spoken Polish, but that’s more informal and often you’ll hear to added: Tylko jak jestem głodny, to jem obiad.
Why is there a comma before gdy?
In Polish, a subordinate clause introduced by gdy (or kiedy) is usually separated from the main clause by a comma. So you put , before gdy jestem głodny.
What’s the difference between gdy and kiedy?
Both mean “when.”
- kiedy is more neutral and common in everyday speech.
- gdy is slightly more formal or literary.
You can freely swap them here: tylko wtedy, kiedy jestem głodny.
Why is the adjective głodny masculine? What if the speaker is female?
Predicate adjectives agree in gender and number with the subject. Here the (implied) speaker is masculine, so you use głodny. A female speaker would say Jem obiad tylko wtedy, gdy jestem głodna.
Could I start the sentence with Tylko wtedy, gdy jestem głodny, and then say jem obiad? Would the emphasis change?
Yes. Tylko wtedy, gdy jestem głodny, jem obiad is perfectly correct. Fronting the time clause gives it more prominence, but the overall meaning stays the same.
What if I say Jem tylko obiad, gdy jestem głodny? Is that the same?
No, that shifts the focus. Jem tylko obiad means “I eat only lunch,” and gdy jestem głodny just explains when. The original sentence focuses on the time condition (I eat lunch only when I’m hungry), so you place tylko before wtedy, gdy.
Why is the verb jem in the imperfective aspect and not perfective (e.g. zjem)?
In Polish, the imperfective aspect (jeść → jem) is used for habitual or repeated actions. Here you’re describing a regular habit (“I eat lunch only when I’m hungry”), so you use jem. The perfective zjem would imply a single, completed action (“I will eat lunch (once) when I’m hungry”), which doesn’t suit a general habit.