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Questions & Answers about Hiszpania jest piękna.
What part of speech is Hiszpania and why is it capitalized?
Hiszpania is a proper noun (the name of a country). In Polish, all country names are always capitalized.
What gender is Hiszpania, and how can I tell?
Hiszpania is feminine. A quick tip: most Polish country names ending in -ia are feminine, and many feminine singular nouns end in -a or -ia.
What is jest, and why do we need it here?
Jest is the 3rd person singular present tense of the verb być (to be). It functions as a linking verb between the subject (Hiszpania) and its predicate adjective (piękna).
Why is the adjective piękna used instead of piękny?
In Polish, adjectives agree with the noun they describe in gender, number, and case. Since Hiszpania is feminine singular in the nominative case, the adjective takes the feminine singular nominative ending -a, yielding piękna.
What case is Hiszpania in, and why?
It is in the nominative case. The nominative is used for the subject of a sentence. Here, Hiszpania is the subject performing the “being” action of jest.
Why aren’t there any words meaning “a” or “the” in the sentence?
Polish has no articles (no words for a/an or the). Definiteness or indefiniteness is understood from context, so you simply say Hiszpania jest piękna.
Can I change the word order to Piękna jest Hiszpania?
Yes. That inversion is grammatically correct but stylistically marked. It shifts emphasis onto piękna, roughly “It is beautiful, Spain.” The neutral order is Hiszpania jest piękna.
How do you pronounce Hiszpania jest piękna?
Approximate English spelling:
• hee-SHPAHN-ya yest PYEN-kah
IPA transcription: [xiˈʂpaɲa jɛst ˈpjɛŋka]
Are there alternative adjectives I could use instead of piękna?
Yes. Some synonyms are:
• wspaniała (wonderful)
• cudowna (lovely)
• urokliwa (charming)
You would still match the feminine singular nominative ending.