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Questions & Answers about Ta galeria sztuki jest słynna.
Why is ta used here instead of ten or to?
In Polish demonstratives agree in gender and number with the noun. galeria ends in -a, so it’s feminine singular. The feminine singular demonstrative is ta. ten is masculine, to is neuter.
What case is sztuki, and why isn’t it in the nominative (sztuka)?
sztuki is the genitive singular of sztuka. Polish often uses the genitive to express an “of …” relationship without a preposition. So galeria sztuki literally means “gallery (of) art.” You couldn’t use the nominative (sztuka) here.
Why isn’t there a preposition (like z or “of”) before sztuki?
In Polish you usually show a “type of” or “belonging” relation by putting the second noun in the genitive, without any preposition. If you did say galeria z obrazami it would mean “a gallery with paintings,” which shifts the nuance.
Why does słynna end in -na instead of -ny or -ne?
Adjectives must agree in gender, number and case with the noun they describe. galeria is feminine singular nominative, so słynna takes the feminine singular nominative ending -na. Masculine would be słynny, neuter słynne, and plurals have their own endings.
Can I omit jest and just say Ta galeria sztuki słynna?
In very informal speech or headlines you might drop the present-tense copula and say Ta galeria sztuki słynna, but in standard full sentences you normally include jest.
Could I drop the demonstrative and say simply Galeria sztuki jest słynna?
Yes. ta means “this.” If you want to say “the art gallery is famous” in a general sense, Galeria sztuki jest słynna is perfectly fine—just less specific.
Can I change the word order, e.g. Słynna jest ta galeria sztuki?
Yes, Polish word order is relatively flexible. Putting słynna first adds emphasis (“Famous is this art gallery”). It’s grammatical, though the neutral order is Ta galeria sztuki jest słynna.
How do I pronounce Ta galeria sztuki jest słynna? Where is the stress, and how do sz and j sound?
Polish stress almost always falls on the penultimate (second-to-last) syllable:
• ta ga-LE-ri-a
• SZTU-ki
• jest SŁYN-na
The digraph sz is like English “sh,” and j is like English “y” in “yes.”