Learn Hardcore Polish: Kelnerka szybko przynosi resztę, a klientka dziękuje. - The waitress quickly brings the change, and the customer says thank you.

In this sentence a works like “and” with a slight contrast or shift of focus: “The waitress quickly brings the change, and (meanwhile) the customer thanks.” It’s lighter than “but,” though in some contexts a can feel like “whereas.” For simple, neutral addition you’d use i. Here, a nicely marks the change of subject from the waitress to the customer.

Why is there a comma before a?

Polish places a comma before coordinating conjunctions like a when they join two clauses. So the comma in “..., a klientka dziękuje” is required.

Why does resztę end with -ę instead of -a?

The dictionary form is reszta (feminine). Here it’s the direct object of przynosi, so it’s in the accusative singular, which for most feminine -a nouns is -ę: resztę. Another example: kawa → kawę (Widzę kawę = I see coffee).

Why not reszty?

Reszty is the genitive. You’d use it, for example, after negation: “Nie przynosi reszty” (She doesn’t bring the change), or in expressions like “nie ma reszty” (there is no change). In affirmative sentences with a direct object, you want the accusative: resztę.

Does reszta mean “the rest” or specifically “change (money)”?

Both, depending on context. In shopping/restaurant contexts, reszta means the money returned after payment—“change.” Elsewhere it can mean “the rest/remaining part.” You might hear “reszta z dwudziestu złotych” (the change from 20 zł).

What aspect/tense nuance is there in przynosi?

Przynosi is present tense, imperfective, from przynosić. It can describe an action happening now or a habitual action. The perfective partner is przynieść:

Present of perfective doesn’t exist; future: przyniesie (she will bring).
Past: przyniosła (she brought, completed action).

How would I explicitly say “is bringing (right now)”?

Polish uses the same present form for simple and progressive, so przynosi covers both. To emphasize “right now,” add an adverb: właśnie przynosi, już przynosi, teraz przynosi.

Can I use i instead of a here?

Yes: “Kelnerka szybko przynosi resztę, i klientka dziękuje.” It’s grammatical, but a is more idiomatic when switching subjects with a gentle contrast. i feels like plain addition.

Can szybko go elsewhere in the sentence?

Yes. Polish word order is flexible for nuance:

Kelnerka szybko przynosi resztę (neutral, common).
Kelnerka przynosi szybko resztę (slightly marked, focus on the manner).
Kelnerka przynosi resztę szybko (emphasis at the end).
Szybko kelnerka przynosi resztę (fronted adverb for strong emphasis). All are possible; the first is most natural.

What’s the difference between szybko and szybka?

Szybko is an adverb (quickly) and modifies verbs: szybko przynosi.
Szybka/szybki/szybkie are adjective forms (fast/quick) and modify nouns: szybka kelnerka (a fast waitress).

Is dziękuje correct here? I often see dziękuję.

Both exist but mean different persons:

dziękuje = he/she/it thanks (3rd person singular).
dziękuję = I thank (1st person singular). Here the subject is klientka (she), so dziękuje is correct.

How do I say who she’s thanking?

Use the dative for the person: dziękować komu?

a klientka dziękuje kelnerce (the customer thanks the waitress).
Or with a pronoun: a klientka dziękuje jej (she thanks her). The typical placement is after the verb: dziękuje jej.

How do I say what she’s thanking for (e.g., “for the change”)?

Use za + accusative: dziękować za co?

a klientka dziękuje jej za resztę (the customer thanks her for the change).

How would this read in the past tense?

You’d normally choose perfective for completed actions:
Kelnerka szybko przyniosła resztę, a klientka podziękowała.
Note the feminine past endings -ła.

Are there articles like “the” in Polish? Why is it not “the change”?

Polish has no articles. Definiteness is inferred from context. If you need to make it explicit, use a demonstrative: tę resztę (this/the change).

Is it okay that the recipient of “thanks” is omitted?

Yes. Polish often omits information that’s clear from context. Here it’s obvious she thanks the waitress. You can add it for clarity: a klientka dziękuje kelnerce/jej.

Could I use a different verb than przynosi (e.g., niesie, podaje)?

przynosi = brings (to here/to someone). Best for “bringing the change (to the table).”
niesie = carries (in her hands), without the “to someone” idea.
podaje = hands/passes/serves. You could say podaje resztę if the focus is on handing it over at the table.

Any pronunciation tips for tricky bits like rz, sz, and ę?

rz sounds like the “s” in “measure” (same as ż).
sz is like English “sh.” So szybko ≈ “SHYB-ko.”
si before a vowel represents a soft “sh”-like sound; przynosi ≈ “pshih-NO-shee.”
ę is a nasal “e.” At the end of a word (as in resztę) it’s often pronounced close to plain “e” in casual speech.
Polish stress is on the second-to-last syllable: kel-NER-ka, przy-NO-si, dzię-KU-je.