Breakdown of Szef uważa, że to śmiały projekt, ale lubi nowe pomysły.
lubić
to like
to
this
nowy
new
ale
but
że
that
uważać
to think
pomysł
the idea
szef
the boss
projekt
the project
śmiały
bold
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Questions & Answers about Szef uważa, że to śmiały projekt, ale lubi nowe pomysły.
Why is there a comma before że, and what role does że play in this sentence?
In Polish, a comma is always placed before the subordinating conjunction że. Here, że introduces a subordinate (nominal) clause equivalent to English “that” in “the boss considers that it’s a bold project.”
Where is the verb jest in to śmiały projekt, and what exactly does to mean here?
Polish often omits the present-tense form of “to be” in equative sentences. So to śmiały projekt is an elliptical version of to (jest) śmiały projekt.
- to is a demonstrative/subject pronoun meaning “this/it.”
- The linking verb jest (“is”) is implied, not spoken.
Why does śmiały end with -y instead of -a or -e?
Adjective endings in Polish agree with the gender, number, and case of the noun they modify.
- projekt is masculine inanimate nominative singular.
- Masculine inanimate nominative adjectives typically end in -y (or -i after certain consonants).
Hence śmiały projekt.
Why is there a comma before ale?
In Polish, the coordinating conjunction ale (“but”) is always preceded by a comma. It marks the boundary between the two independent clauses:
“Szef uważa, że to śmiały projekt, ale lubi nowe pomysły.”
Why is the subject missing before lubi, and who is doing the liking?
Polish allows dropping the subject pronoun when it’s clear from the verb ending and context. The verb lubi is 3rd person singular, so the subject he (i.e. the boss) is implied: “(He) likes new ideas.”
What case is nowe pomysły, and why is it used here?
nowe pomysły is in the accusative plural. The verb lubić (“to like”) requires a direct object in the accusative. Because pomysły is a masculine inanimate noun, its accusative plural form is identical to the nominative plural (pomysły), and its adjective takes the inanimate plural ending -e (nowe).