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Questions & Answers about Mój pokój jest jasny.
Why is mój spelled with ó instead of u, and how is it pronounced?
In modern Polish ó always has the sound /u/, identical to u. Historically it denoted a long “o,” but today you simply learn which words take ó (like mój) and which take u (like muzyka). Pronunciation of mój is [muj], roughly “mooy.”
How do you pronounce pokój and jasny, and where is the stress?
Polish stress almost always falls on the penultimate syllable.
- pokój has two syllables (PO-kój) and is pronounced [ˈpɔkuj], so stress on PO (“POH-kooy”).
- jasny has two syllables (jas-ny) and is pronounced [ˈjasnɨ], so stress on jas (“YAS-nih”).
Why does jasny end in -y and not -a or -e?
pokój is a masculine inanimate noun. In nominative singular, masculine adjectives take the ending -y (or sometimes -i). Feminine would be jasna, neuter jasne. Here we need masculine form jasny.
What are the grammatical roles of mój and pokój in this sentence?
Both mój and pokój are in the nominative singular masculine form because they form the subject: mój pokój = “my room.” The adjective jasny is the predicate adjective linked by the verb jest.
Why is the adjective jasny placed after the verb jest instead of before the noun?
When an adjective describes the subject via a linking verb (to be), it functions as a predicate and follows the verb: Mój pokój jest jasny (“My room is bright”). Attributive adjectives (directly modifying a noun) appear before the noun, e.g. jasny pokój (“a bright room”).
What is jest, and can you ever drop it in Polish?
jest is the third-person singular present form of być (“to be”). In Polish present-tense statements, you normally must include jest to link subject and predicate. You do not omit it as you might in some English phrases.
How do you turn this sentence into a negative?
Place nie immediately before the verb:
Mój pokój nie jest jasny.
This means “My room is not bright.”
How do you ask “Is my room bright?” in Polish?
Add the question particle czy at the beginning, or simply use rising intonation in speech:
Czy mój pokój jest jasny?
How would you say “My rooms are bright”?
Change to plural nominative:
- pokój → pokoje
- mój → moje (plural form)
- jest → są (third-person plural)
- jasny → jasne (plural adjective)
Result: Moje pokoje są jasne.
Does jasny ever mean “light” in the sense of a light color?
Yes. When describing colors, jasny means “light,” e.g. jasny niebieski = “light blue.” In Mój pokój jest jasny, however, it most commonly means “bright” or “well-lit.”