On potrafi mówić ciszej podczas lekcji.

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Breakdown of On potrafi mówić ciszej podczas lekcji.

• lekcja: the lesson
• mówić: to speak
• podczas: during

Questions & Answers about On potrafi mówić ciszej podczas lekcji.

What exactly does the verb in bold, potrafi, express?

Potrafi means “is able to/capable of.” It expresses ability, often practical or situational. It’s close to English “can” (in the sense of ability), but see the next question for nuances against other Polish verbs.

How is potrafi different from umie and może?

• Umie = “knows how to,” a learned skill (e.g., Umie pływać “He knows how to swim”).
• Potrafi = “is able to/capable of,” often in a given situation (e.g., able to control volume).
• Może = “may/can,” permission or possibility. On może mówić ciszej can mean “he is allowed to speak more quietly,” not necessarily that he has the ability.

Can I drop the subject pronoun On?

Yes. Polish is a pro‑drop language. Potrafi mówić ciszej podczas lekcji is natural; use On mainly for emphasis or clarity/contrast.

Why is it mówić and not powiedzieć?

Mówić is imperfective and describes an ongoing/habitual action (“to speak/talk”). Powiedzieć is perfective (“to say [once]”). Since we’re talking about how he speaks in class, the ongoing verb mówić fits.