Breakdown of W kubku mam herbatę, a w szklance wodę.
ja
I
mieć
to have
w
in
herbata
the tea
woda
the water
a
and
szklanka
the glass
kubek
the mug
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Questions & Answers about W kubku mam herbatę, a w szklance wodę.
What does the conjunction a mean here, and why not i?
a is an “and” that contrasts two things (roughly whereas), which fits the mug-versus-glass contrast. i is a neutral additive “and.” The sentence sounds most natural with a because it highlights the difference. Polish also requires a comma before a in such coordination.
Why w kubku and w szklance? Which case is that?
After w meaning in/inside (no movement), you use the locative case: w kubku, w szklance. If there is motion into something, w takes the accusative: w kubek, w szklankę (for example: pouring water into the glass).
Why herbatę and wodę instead of herbata and woda?
Mam takes a direct object in the accusative. Feminine nouns ending in -a change to -ę in the accusative singular: herbata → herbatę, woda → wodę.
Why kubku and not kubek or kubce?
Kubek is masculine. In the locative singular, many masculine nouns (especially containers/places) take -u, giving w kubku. By contrast, szklanka is feminine and its locative is w szklance (ending -e). The safest approach is to learn the locative form with each noun.
Can I omit the verb in the second clause?
Yes. Polish often drops a repeated verb when it’s clear from context. W kubku mam herbatę, a w szklance (mam) wodę is perfectly natural. You can repeat mam for emphasis or clarity, but it isn’t required.
Is the word order fixed? Can I say Mam herbatę w kubku, a wodę w szklance?
Word order is flexible. Fronting the place phrases (W kubku, w szklance) emphasizes location. Mam herbatę w kubku, a wodę w szklance is also natural and a bit more neutral. You can also focus on existence instead of possession: W kubku jest herbata, a w szklance woda.
Why is there a comma before a?
Polish puts a comma before a when it connects clauses, even if the second clause is elliptical. With i, the comma is usually omitted unless each side is a full independent clause and you want to mark that boundary.
What’s the difference between kubek, filiżanka, szklanka, kieliszek, and kufel?
- kubek: mug (ceramic, with handle), for tea/coffee/cocoa.
- filiżanka: small cup with saucer, more formal (espresso/tea).
- szklanka: glass/tumbler (water/juice).
- kieliszek: stemmed glass (wine/vodka).
- kufel: beer mug/stein.
Pronunciation tips for szklance, wodę, herbatę?
- sz ≈ English sh (retroflex), so szkl- starts like shkl-.
- c = ts, so szklance sounds like shklan-tseh.
- w sounds like English v.
- Final -ę in wodę/herbatę is often pronounced close to plain e with slight nasal coloring.
- r is rolled; h is a light h. In fast speech, w may devoice before a voiceless consonant, so w kubku can sound like f kubku.
When do I use we instead of w?
Use we for easier pronunciation before certain initial clusters, typically with words starting with w- or f-, and before mnie. Common examples: we Wrocławiu, we Francji, we wtorek, we wrześniu, we mnie. In this sentence, w szklance is correct; we szklance would sound odd.
Could I use herbaty/wody instead of herbatę/wodę with mam?
Yes, but it changes nuance.
- Mam herbatę/wodę: a concrete serving/portion (fits well with containers).
- Mam herbaty/wody (genitive): some amount of tea/water in general.
With a container phrase: Mam wodę w szklance ≈ I have a glass of water (a serving). Mam wody w szklance ≈ I have some water in the glass (amount, maybe not a full serving).
Do I need to include ja (I), as in Ja mam?
No. The verb ending shows the person, so mam already means I have. Add ja only for contrast or emphasis: A ja mam herbatę.
Why w and not na? How do I choose between them?
Use w for being inside something (w kubku, w szklance). Use na for being on a surface (na talerzu, na stole). Some places are idiomatic (for example, na poczcie for at the post office), so learn those as set phrases.