Breakdown of Nie zostawiam kluczy w samochodzie.
w
in
samochód
the car
nie
not
klucz
the key
zostawiać
to leave
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Questions & Answers about Nie zostawiam kluczy w samochodzie.
What tense and aspect is expressed by zostawiam?
Zostawiam is the 1st person singular present tense of the imperfective verb zostawiać (“to leave behind”). It describes a habitual or ongoing action (here: “I (regularly) don’t leave…”).
Why is the verb negated with nie placed before zostawiam?
In Polish, you negate a verb by placing nie immediately before it. You cannot say zostawiam nie; the correct order is nie zostawiam (“I do not leave”).
Why is kluczy in the genitive case instead of the accusative?
After a negated verb, an object that’s indefinite (not specified) typically takes the genitive case. Kluczy is the genitive plural of klucze. If the keys were definite (the ones I just mentioned), you could use the accusative: Nie zostawiam te klucze w samochodzie.
Which case is used in w samochodzie, and why?
The preposition w (“in”) when indicating location requires the locative case. Samochód in the locative singular becomes samochodzie.
Why do we use w instead of na with samochodzie?
W means “inside” something, while na means “on top of” or “onto.” Since keys are left inside a car, w samochodzie (“in the car”) is correct.
What’s the difference between zostawiać and zostawić?
Zostawiać is imperfective (for general, habitual or ongoing actions), whereas zostawić is perfective (for single, completed actions). You use zostawiam in the present; to talk about one past event you’d say nie zostawiłem kluczy (“I didn’t leave the keys”).
How can I include “my” to say “I don’t leave my keys in the car”?
Add the possessive pronoun moich in genitive plural (to match kluczy). The sentence becomes:
Nie zostawiam moich kluczy w samochodzie.
Can I change the word order for emphasis?
Yes. Polish is flexible. For example:
Kluczy nie zostawiam w samochodzie
puts kluczy first to emphasize “keys.”
How would you tell someone “Don’t leave keys in the car” (imperative)?
Use the imperative of zostawiać:
Nie zostawiaj kluczy w samochodzie!
This directly commands someone not to leave keys in the car.
How is Nie zostawiam kluczy w samochodzie pronounced?
Approximate pronunciation in IPA:
zostawiam [zɔˈstavʲam]
kluczy [ˈklut͡ʂɨ]
w samochodzie [f saˈmɔxɔd͡ʑɛ]