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Questions & Answers about Ja byłem w parku w zeszłym roku.
Why is ja included if the verb byłem already indicates the subject?
In Polish, subject pronouns are optional (pro-drop language). You can drop ja because byłem (I was) shows 1st person. Including ja adds emphasis, like as for me, I was in the park last year.
What does byłem mean, and what is its grammatical form?
Byłem is the masculine 1st person singular past tense form of the verb być meaning to be, in the imperfective aspect. It literally means I was. A female speaker would use byłam.
How would a female speaker express this sentence?
She would use the past form byłam (feminine 1st person): Ja byłam w parku w zeszłym roku.
Why is the phrase w parku used here, and what case is parku?
W meaning in requires the locative case. Parku is the locative singular of park. So w parku means in the park.
Why is zeszłym spelled with -ym, and what case is roku?
Zeszłym is the locative masculine singular form of the adjective zeszły meaning last (it takes the ending -ym). Roku is the locative singular of rok meaning year, used after w.
What is the difference between w zeszłym roku and rok temu?
Both translate as last year. W zeszłym roku is literally in last year (uses locative) and is common in statements. Rok temu is literally a year ago (combines genitive rok with temu) and focuses on the time elapsed.
Can I omit the pronoun and say it more naturally?
Yes. Polish often drops pronouns, so Byłem w parku w zeszłym roku sounds natural without ja. You could also use a more descriptive verb: Odwiedziłem park w zeszłym roku, meaning I visited the park last year.
Can I start with W zeszłym roku instead of Ja byłem?
Yes. Word order in Polish is flexible. W zeszłym roku byłem w parku emphasises when you were there, while Ja byłem w parku w zeszłym roku puts a slight emphasis on who. Both are correct.