Learn Hardcore Polish: Próbuję pisać wolniej, ale wciąż robię błędy. - I’m trying to write more slowly, but I still make mistakes.

Because próbować (to try) takes an infinitive to express what you are attempting to do. A finite verb like piszę cannot follow próbuję. So: Próbuję pisać…, not Próbuję piszę….

Why the imperfective pisać, not the perfective napisać?

Use imperfective when the focus is on the ongoing activity or strategy (writing more slowly). Perfective is used when the goal is a single, completed result.

Próbuję pisać wolniej. (I’m working on the manner of writing.)
Próbuję napisać list. (I’m trying to get a letter written.)

Could I say Staram się pisać wolniej instead of Próbuję pisać wolniej?

Yes. Staram się (I try/I’m making an effort) often sounds a bit more deliberate or sustained. Próbuję can feel more like attempting something, possibly with uncertainty. Both are natural here.

Why is it wolniej and not bardziej wolno?

Comparatives of most adverbs are formed with -ej, so wolno → wolniej (more slowly). Forms like bardziej wolno are possible but sound clunky; stick with wolniej. Similarly: szybko → szybciej, głośno → głośniej.

Does wolno also mean “it is allowed”? How do I avoid confusion?

Yes. Wolno can mean “slowly,” but impersonal wolno also means “it is permitted” (e.g., Tu wolno palić? = Is it allowed to smoke here?). In your sentence, wolniej clearly means “more slowly,” so there’s no ambiguity. Many speakers prefer powoli for “slowly”; the comparative remains wolniej, not powolniej (though powolniej exists, it’s much rarer).

Can wolniej go before the verb: Próbuję wolniej pisać?

Yes. Próbuję pisać wolniej and Próbuję wolniej pisać are both correct. Putting wolniej earlier slightly emphasizes the manner; the meaning is essentially the same.

What’s the nuance between wciąż, nadal, ciągle, and cały czas?

wciąż: still/yet; neutral, common.
nadal: still; a bit more formal or matter-of-fact; doesn’t normally mean “constantly.”
ciągle: can mean “constantly/repeatedly,” and colloquially also “still”; may imply annoyance.
cały czas: all the time/constantly; not a direct synonym of “still.” All four are frequent; choose based on whether you mean persistence (still) or repetition (constantly).

Where can I put wciąż in the second clause?

Most natural: …ale wciąż robię błędy.
Also possible: …ale robię wciąż błędy (mild emphasis).
Marked/emphatic: …ale błędy wciąż robię. Use the last one for contrastive emphasis.

Why is there a comma before ale?

Polish punctuation requires a comma before coordinating conjunctions like ale (but) when they link clauses. Hence: …, ale ….

Is robię błędy the best collocation? What about popełniam błędy?

Both are good:

robić błędy is very common and neutral.
popełniać błędy is a bit more formal and is the default in writing.
For a single, completed mistake in the past: Zrobiłem/popełniłem błąd.

What case and number is błędy?

It’s accusative plural (direct object of robię). Forms:

singular: nominative błąd
plural: nominative/accusative błędy
genitive plural: błędów

Why is the subject pronoun missing? Could I say Ja próbuję…?

Polish is pro‑drop: verb endings show the person, so the subject is usually omitted. Próbuję and robię already mark first person singular. You can add ja for contrast/emphasis: Ja próbuję…, ale i tak robię błędy.

How does tense/aspect map to English here? Does Polish have a separate progressive?

Polish imperfective present covers both simple and progressive meanings. Próbuję pisać… can mean both “I try to write…” and “I’m trying to write…,” depending on context.

Any pronunciation tips for these forms?

ó in Próbuję sounds like u.
ę at the end of próbuję/robię is often lightly nasal or even denasalized in casual speech.
ł in błędy sounds like English w.
wciąż has a soft ć sound (spelled ci before ą), nasal ą (often like “on”), and ż like the s in measure.