Questions & Answers about Oni znów czekają na pociąg.
Why is Oni included at the beginning? Can’t I just say Znów czekają na pociąg?
In Polish the verb ending already shows the subject: czekają is 3rd person plural, so you know “they.” We include Oni for emphasis, contrast (e.g. “they, not someone else”), or clarity if context is unclear. Dropping it is perfectly fine in casual speech.
What’s the difference between znów and znowu? When should I use each?
Both mean again or once more and are interchangeable in most contexts.
– znów is slightly more formal or written.
– znowu is more colloquial.
Word order and emphasis can be identical: Oni znów czekają… vs Oni znowu czekają….
Why is pociąg in the accusative case here? It looks like the nominative.
The verb czekać (to wait) requires the preposition na + the accusative case to mean “wait for.”
pociąg is a masculine inanimate noun whose accusative singular form is identical to its nominative: pociąg. You know it’s accusative because of the preposition na.
Why do we say czekają na pociąg instead of czekają pociąg?