On chyba jest w domu.

He is probably at home.

Breakdown of On chyba jest w domu.

• być: to be
• on: he
• dom: the house
• w: in
• chyba: probably

Questions & Answers about On chyba jest w domu.

What does the word chyba really mean here?

It signals uncertainty based on a guess or inference: roughly “probably,” “I think,” or “I guess.” It’s weaker than pewnie (“most likely / I’m pretty sure”) and less formal than prawdopodobnie (“probably”). It’s stronger than może (“maybe”). A rough confidence scale:

• na pewno = definitely
• pewnie / zapewne = very likely
• chyba = probably / I guess
• może = maybe
• raczej (nie) = rather (not), tends to lean negative

Where can I place chyba in the sentence, and does the position change the meaning?

Common, natural options:

• On chyba jest w domu. Neutral and very common.
• Chyba on jest w domu. Light emphasis on “he” (as opposed to someone else).
• On jest chyba w domu. Similar overall meaning; the hesitation shades the predicate; very natural in speech.
• Chyba jest w domu. Subject pronoun dropped; neutral.
• On jest w domu, chyba. Sentence-final hedge, like a tag “I think.”

All mean essentially the same; word order mostly tweaks focus/emphasis.

Can I drop the pronoun on?

Yes. Polish is pro‑drop. Chyba jest w domu. is fine. Without on, the subject could be he/she/it (because jest is the same for all 3rd‑person singular), so you keep on when you want to disambiguate or emphasize “he.”

Can I omit jest?

Generally, no in a neutral statement; use On jest w domu. However, in short answers or very colloquial/elliptical speech you might hear:

• Q: Gdzie on jest? A: W domu.
• Or: On w domu. (elliptical, conversational) For a full, standalone sentence, keep jest.

What case is domu, and why?

Domu is locative singular. The preposition w (“in/at” with static location) takes the locative: w domu = “at home / in the house.” Contrast:

• Movement to: do domu = “to (the) home.”
• From: z domu = “from home.” Note: w with times often takes the accusative, e.g., w sobotę (“on Saturday”).

How do I pronounce the sentence?

• ch in chyba is like a voiceless “h/kh” (similar to Scottish “loch,” but often softer).
• y is a central vowel (not English “ee”); think a short, relaxed sound between “i” and “u.”
• w sounds like English “v.”
• Syllable stress is on the penultimate syllable: CHY‑ba, JESt, DO‑mu. Natural sentence stress often falls on domu (the new info).

Why is it w domu and not na domu?

Use w for being “in/inside” or “at” many enclosed places: w domu, w pracy, w sklepie. Use na with certain set locations/institutions or surfaces: na dworze (outside), na lotnisku, na uniwersytecie, na poczcie. Na domu would mean “on top of the house (roof).”

Does w domu mean “at home” or “in the house”?

Both are possible; Polish has no articles. In context, w domu usually means “at home.” To specify a particular house: w tym domu (“in this/that house”), w jego domu (“in his house”).

How do I negate this naturally?

• On chyba nie jest w domu. = “He’s probably not at home.”
• Chyba nie ma go w domu. = “He’s probably not at home” (literally “There probably isn’t him at home,” very idiomatic). Avoid: On chyba jest nie w domu (unnatural).

Is chyba formal or colloquial?

Neutral and very common in speech and writing. More formal alternatives: prawdopodobnie, zapewne. Everyday near‑synonym: pewnie (often stronger than chyba). Slightly different nuance: raczej often leans negative (e.g., Raczej nie = “I don’t think so”).

What’s the difference between chyba and chyba że?

• chyba = probably / I guess.
• chyba że = unless. Example: Pójdę, chyba że będzie padać. = “I’ll go, unless it rains.” Also, colloquial No chyba! can be a sarcastic “Yeah, right!” / “As if!”

What are the forms of the verb być (to be) I should know for context?

• ja: jestem
• ty: jesteś
• on/ona/ono: jest
• my: jesteśmy
• wy: jesteście
• oni/one: są

Can I say u domu instead of w domu?

No. U means “at someone’s place” and takes the genitive of a person: u mamy (at mom’s), u kolegi (at a friend’s), u niego (at his place). For “at home,” use w domu.

How flexible is the word order, and what changes if I move parts around?

Polish allows flexible order for emphasis:

• W domu on chyba jest. Emphasizes location.
• On w domu chyba jest. Emphasizes the place as the uncertain element.
• Jest on chyba w domu. More formal/literary inversion. The neutral go‑to is On chyba jest w domu.

Can intonation turn this into a question?

Yes. With rising intonation or a question mark:

• On chyba jest w domu? = “He’s probably at home?” (seeking confirmation, tentative)
• Jest w domu, chyba? = tag‑like “He’s at home, right?”

Why does dom take -u in the locative, while some nouns take -e (e.g., w sklepie)?

Masculine nouns vary between locative -u and -e; it’s largely lexical and must be learned case by case. Examples:

• -u: w domu, w parku, w pokoju
• -e: w sklepie, w kinie So memorize that dom → w domu.

What are other natural ways to say the same thing?

• Pewnie jest w domu. (a bit more confident)
• Prawdopodobnie jest w domu. (more formal)
• Zdaje się, że jest w domu. / Wydaje mi się, że jest w domu. (“It seems (to me) that…”)
• Chyba siedzi w domu. (colloquial “He’s probably staying at home.”)