Mój autobus jest spóźniony, więc czekam na przystanku.

My bus is late, so I’m waiting at the bus stop.

Breakdown of Mój autobus jest spóźniony, więc czekam na przystanku.

• być: to be
• mój: my
• na: at
• więc: so
• czekać: to wait
• autobus: the bus
• przystanek: the bus stop
• spóźniony: late

Questions & Answers about Mój autobus jest spóźniony, więc czekam na przystanku.

Why is mój used here, and how does it change for different genders and cases?

Polish possessive pronouns agree with the noun’s gender, number, and case. Autobus is masculine singular nominative, so we use mój.

• Feminine nominative: moja (e.g. moja książka)
• Neuter nominative: moje (e.g. moje okno)
  In other cases these forms also change (e.g. masculine genitive mojego, locative moim, etc.).

What kind of word is spóźniony, and why is it used with jest?

Spóźniony is a passive past participle functioning as an adjective meaning “delayed” or “late.” It must agree with autobus (masculine singular nominative), hence spóźniony. You need jest (“is”) to link the subject to this adjectival predicate: Mój autobus jest spóźniony = “My bus is delayed.”

How could I say the same using the reflexive verb spóźniać się, and what’s the difference?

You can use the imperfective reflexive verb to focus on the ongoing action:

• Autobus się spóźnia. (“The bus is running late.”)
  Difference in nuance:
• jest spóźniony emphasizes the resulting state (“it’s delayed”),
• się spóźnia highlights the process of running late.

Is it necessary to put a comma before więc, and why?

Yes. In Polish, więc is a coordinating conjunction meaning “so/therefore,” and when it joins two independent clauses you place a comma before it:
Mój autobus jest spóźniony, więc czekam na przystanku.

What’s the difference between więc, dlatego, and tak więc?

All can mean “so/therefore,” but they differ in position and style:

• więc (conjunction): after the comma, before the verb.
• dlatego (adverb): before the verb, often without a comma.
• tak więc (phrase): more formal or emphatic.
  Examples:
• Mój autobus jest spóźniony, więc czekam…
• Mój autobus jest spóźniony dlatego czekam…
• Mój autobus jest spóźniony, tak więc czekam…

Why is czekam in the present tense, when in English I’d say “I am waiting”?

Polish does not distinguish simple present from present continuous. The single present tense form czekam covers both “I wait” and “I am waiting.” Context tells you it’s happening right now.

Why is it na przystanku (locative) and not na przystanek (accusative)?

The preposition na takes:

• Accusative for direction/motion to a place (e.g. idę na przystanek = “I’m going to the bus stop”),
• Locative for static location at a place (e.g. czekam na przystanku = “I’m waiting at the bus stop”).
  Here you’re waiting (static), so you need the locative przystanku.

Can I omit mój and just say Autobus jest spóźniony, więc czekam na przystanku?

Yes. If the context makes it clear which bus you mean, you can drop the possessive. Saying Autobus jest spóźniony… simply means “The bus is delayed…,” whereas mój autobus specifies “my bus.”