Breakdown of Klatka schodowa jest wąska i ciemna.
być
to be
i
and
ciemny
dark
wąski
narrow
klatka schodowa
the staircase
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Questions & Answers about Klatka schodowa jest wąska i ciemna.
How are the Polish sounds ą in wąska and ch in schodowa pronounced?
- ą in wąska is a nasal vowel, similar to the French “on” in bon. Think of it as an “o” with a slight nasal resonance: [vɔ̃ska].
- ch in schodowa is always pronounced as a harsh “h” sound , not like English “ch” in “chair.” So schodowa is roughly [s xɔ ˈdɔ va] (“skh-O-dO-vah”).
Why do the adjectives wąska and ciemna end in -a?
They agree with the noun klatka, which is feminine singular in the nominative case. In Polish, feminine singular adjectives typically end in -a when they modify or describe a feminine noun.
Why is there no word for the or a in the Polish sentence?
Polish has no articles (no separate words for “a” or “the”). Definiteness or indefiniteness is understood from context, so you simply say Klatka schodowa jest wąska i ciemna without adding “a” or “the.”
What is the role of jest in this sentence and why not są?
- jest is the third-person singular present form of być (to be).
- We use jest because the subject klatka schodowa (“stairwell”) is singular. If it were plural (“stairwells”), you would use są.
Why are the adjectives placed after the verb instead of before the noun?
Here they function as predicate adjectives (they describe the subject via the linking verb jest). Predicate adjectives follow the verb. If you wanted them as attributive adjectives (directly modifying the noun), you’d say:
Wąska i ciemna klatka schodowa
and drop the verb.
Can you switch the order of the adjectives and say ciemna i wąska instead of wąska i ciemna?
Yes. Polish adjective order in a list is quite flexible. Klatka schodowa jest ciemna i wąska is perfectly correct. Any slight shift in emphasis is minimal.
How would you make this sentence plural to say “The staircases are narrow and dark”?
- Change the noun to plural: klatki schodowe
- Use the plural verb: są
- Make adjectives plural (nominative): wąskie and ciemne
Result: Klatki schodowe są wąskie i ciemne.
Why is klatka schodowa written as two separate words rather than one compound word?
Polish often forms compounds as separate words when a noun is modified by an adjective-derived element. Klatka (cage) + schodowa (of stairs) stays two words. Hyphens or single-word compounds are only used in special cases, not here.