To jest tak drogie.

It is so expensive.

Breakdown of To jest tak drogie.

• być: to be
• to: this
• drogi: expensive
• tak: so

Questions & Answers about To jest tak drogie.

What does each word do in the sentence To jest tak drogie?

• To = this/that/it (a neuter demonstrative pronoun referring to something in front of you or contextually understood)
• jest = is (3rd person singular of the verb “to be”)
• tak = so (degree adverb, intensifies the adjective)
• drogie = expensive (adjective agreeing in gender/number with the subject; here neuter singular to match to)

Why is it drogie and not drogi?

Adjectives used after jest agree with the subject in gender and number. The subject here is to, which is grammatically neuter singular, so you need the neuter singular form drogie. Other forms:

• masculine singular: drogi
• feminine singular: droga
• neuter singular: drogie
• plural non-masculine-personal (things): drogie
• plural masculine-personal (people): drodzy (mostly in the “dear” sense; see below)

Can I say To jest drogo?

No. Drogo is an adverb (“expensively”), and after jest you normally use an adjective (drogie) to describe a noun/pronoun.

• Correct: To jest drogie.
• Also correct but different meaning: Jest drogo. (“It’s expensive [around here/these days]” — general price level, impersonal.)

What’s the difference between tak and taki/taka/takie?

• tak + adjective = “so + adjective”: To jest tak drogie. (“This is so expensive.”)
• taki/taka/takie + adjective + noun = “such (a) + adjective + noun”: taki drogi telefon (“such an expensive phone”).
• Predicatively you’ll also hear To jest takie drogie (“This is so/such expensive [a thing]”), which is common and a bit more emotive/colloquial. Here takie agrees with to (neuter).

How do I say “very expensive,” “too expensive,” or “that/so expensive”?

• bardzo drogie = very expensive (neutral intensity)
• za drogie = too expensive (excessive)
• tak drogie = so expensive (degree, often invites a result clause)
• aż tak drogie = that/so expensive (to such an extent; adds emphasis)

Does tak here mean “yes”?

No. Polish tak can be “yes” as a standalone word, but in tak drogie it’s an adverb meaning “so.” Context and position make it clear.

Do I have to add a “that”-clause after tak (like “so… that”)?

No, it can stand alone: To jest tak drogie.
With a result clause, you use że: To jest tak drogie, że tego nie kupię. (“It’s so expensive that I won’t buy it.”)

Can I drop jest in the present tense?

In everyday speech or emphatic exclamations you may hear it dropped: To tak drogie! But the full To jest tak drogie is the standard, safest form in normal sentences.

Is word order flexible? What about Jest to tak drogie?

Yes. Polish allows some flexibility.

• Neutral: To jest tak drogie.
• Slightly more formal/inverted: Jest to tak drogie. More exotic orders like Tak drogie to jest are possible for strong emphasis but are less neutral.

When do I use to vs. ten/ta/to?

• To as a standalone pronoun = “this/that/it”: To jest tak drogie.
• ten/ta/to as a determiner before a noun: Ten telefon jest drogi. (“This phone is expensive.”) If you refer back to a specific item without naming it, you can also use the pronoun ten/ta/to alone: Ten jest drogi, tamten jest tańszy.

How do I say it in the plural?

Use plural są and plural demonstratives:

• To są tak drogie. (“These are so expensive.” referring to things)
• With a noun: Te buty są tak drogie. (“These shoes are so expensive.”) Remember: with plural things (non-masculine-personal), the adjective is drogie.

How do I ask “Why/Is this so expensive?” in Polish?

• Yes/no: Czy to jest tak drogie? (Often just rising intonation: To jest tak drogie?)
• Why: Dlaczego to jest tak drogie? or more colloquial Czemu to jest tak drogie?

How do I pronounce To jest tak drogie?

• to = [tɔ]
• jest = [jɛst] (initial j like English y)
• tak = [tak]
• drogie = [ˈdrɔ.ɡʲɛ] (“g” is slightly softened, like “gye”).
  Stress in Polish is on the penultimate syllable, so in the whole sentence the natural stresses fall on jest and dro- in drogie.

Does drogi also mean “dear” (as in “Dear John”)?

Yes. Drogi/Droga/Drodzy mean “dear” when addressing people: Drogi Marku, Drodzy Państwo. With prices/things, drogi/drogie means “expensive.” Context prevents confusion.

Are there synonyms or alternative ways to say this?

• To jest bardzo drogie. (very expensive)
• To jest kosz­tow­ne. (costly; a bit more formal)
• To kosztuje fortunę/majątek. (costs a fortune)
• To jest przepłacone. (overpriced)
• Softer: To jest drog­awe. (kind of pricey, colloquial)

How do I negate or soften it?

• To nie jest tak drogie. (It isn’t so expensive.)
• To nie jest aż tak drogie. (It isn’t that expensive.)
• To wcale nie jest takie drogie. (It’s not that expensive at all.)
• Compare/limit: To jest tak drogie jak tamto. (as expensive as that)
• With perspective: To jest za drogie dla mnie / jak na mój budżet. (too expensive for me / for my budget)