Learn Hardcore Polish: Wysoki kolega mówi, że awaria była krótka i nie trzeba się martwić. - The tall colleague says the breakdown was short and there is no need to worry.

In Polish, every subordinate clause introduced by że must be preceded by a comma. Unlike in English where you can sometimes drop the comma before “that,” in Polish it’s always required to separate the main clause from the że‐clause.

Why isn’t there an article like the or a before wysoki kolega?

Polish doesn’t have articles. Definiteness or indefiniteness is understood from context. Here wysoki kolega could mean “a tall colleague” or “the tall colleague,” depending on what you already know about that person.

What exactly does wysoki kolega mean? Doesn’t wysoki mean “high”?

While wysoki can translate as “high” in some contexts (e.g. wysoka góra = “high mountain”), when it modifies a person it means “tall.” Kolega means “colleague,” and can also mean “buddy” or “friend” in casual speech. So wysoki kolega is “the tall colleague/friend,” not “high.”

Why is the adjective krótka used with awaria, and why not krótko?

Awaria is a feminine noun in the nominative case, so any adjective describing it must agree in gender, number, and case. The feminine nominative form of krótki is krótka (“short”). By contrast, krótko is an adverb (“briefly”) and would modify a verb, e.g. awaria trwała krótko (“the breakdown lasted briefly”).

How does the expression nie trzeba się martwić work? Isn’t musieć the verb for “have to”?

Nie trzeba is an impersonal expression meaning “there’s no need to.” It doesn’t specify who; it’s like saying “one need not worry.” Musieć means “must” or “have to,” often used with a subject (e.g. Ty musisz). So nie trzeba się martwić is softer and more general than nie musisz się martwić (“you don’t have to worry”).

Why is the reflexive pronoun się placed between trzeba and martwić?

In Polish, clitics like się attach to the first finite element of the verb phrase. Here trzeba is that element, so się follows it. The infinitive martwić comes last: trzeba się martwić. You could also see nie trzeba martwić się, but the more common order is trzeba się martwić.

What’s the nuance between kolega and przyjaciel?

Kolega is a more casual term for someone you know at work, school, or socially; it can be “colleague,” “classmate,” or just “friend” in a loose sense. Przyjaciel is a closer, deeper friendship—like “best friend” or “close friend.” Context tells you which one is meant.

Why is mówi in the present tense rather than past? Couldn’t we use powiedział?

Using mówi (“(he) says/is saying”) implies the person is currently making that statement or that it’s a general/trusted report. Powiedział (“(he) said”) would shift it to a one‐time report in the past. The present tense feels more immediate or habitual (“my colleague says”).