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Questions & Answers about Miękkie krzesło jest wygodne.
Why are there no words equivalent to the or a in Miękkie krzesło jest wygodne?
Polish has no articles (no words for “the” or “a”). You simply use the noun with any modifiers. Context tells you whether it’s definite or indefinite. So Miękkie krzesło jest wygodne can mean either “The soft chair is comfortable” or “A soft chair is comfortable.”
What case is krzesło in, and why?
It’s in the nominative singular because it’s the subject of the sentence. In Polish, the subject of a simple statement takes the nominative case.
Why does miękkie end in -e instead of -y or -i?
Because krzesło is a neuter noun in the nominative singular. Adjectives modifying neuter singular nouns always take the ending -e (masculine would be -y/-i, feminine -a).
Why does wygodne also end in -e?
Wygodne is a predicate adjective (it follows the linking verb jest). Predicate adjectives agree in gender and number with the subject and remain in the nominative case. Since krzesło is neuter singular, wygodne takes the neuter nominative ending -e.
I’ve seen sentences like On jest nauczycielem using the instrumental case after jest. Why doesn’t wygodne use the instrumental?
Only nouns usually take the instrumental after być when they name roles or identities (e.g. Jestem nauczycielem). Adjectives used as complements remain in the nominative. That’s why you see wygodne and not an instrumental form.
Can I switch the word order, for example Wygodne jest miękkie krzesło?
Yes. Polish has relatively free word order. Wygodne jest miękkie krzesło is correct and puts emphasis on wygodne. The neutral, unmarked order is Miękkie krzesło jest wygodne.
What is the pronunciation of ę in miękkie?
The letter ę is a nasal vowel, similar to the French on in bon. In miękkie, it sounds roughly like [mjɛ̃kːjɛ], with a long [k] and a nasalized [ɛ̃].
Could I combine both adjectives after jest, as in Krzesło jest miękkie i wygodne?
Certainly. Krzesło jest miękkie i wygodne means “The chair is soft and comfortable,” using both adjectives in the predicate connected by i (“and”).