Learn Hardcore Polish: Brakuje mi papieru, a drukarka czeka. - I am out of paper, and the printer is waiting.

The verb brakować means “to be lacking/there is a lack.” Its core pattern is: brakować komuś (DAT) czegoś (GEN). So in the sentence, mi is dative (the person experiencing the lack) and papieru is genitive (the thing that’s lacking). The finite form here is 3rd person singular present: brakuje.

Why is it papieru (genitive) and not just papier?

Because brakować governs the genitive for the thing that’s missing. Also, Polish often uses the genitive to express “lack/insufficiency” (the so‑called “genitive of negation/lack”), especially with mass nouns like paper.

What’s the difference between mi and mnie here?

Both are dative of “I.” Mi is the unstressed short form and is the default in the middle of a sentence: Brakuje mi papieru. Mnie is the full, stressed form used for emphasis or after prepositions; you might front it for emphasis: Mnie brakuje papieru (“I’m the one who’s lacking paper”). Avoid Brakuje mnie papieru; stick to the two safe patterns above.

Where can I put mi in the sentence?

Safest placements:

After the verb: Brakuje mi papieru (neutral).
After the first stressed element for focus: Papieru mi brakuje (focus on “paper”). Starting with Mi is possible for emphasis: Mi brakuje papieru, but it highlights “to me” strongly. Avoid Brakuje papieru mi.

Can I drop mi and just say Brakuje papieru?

Yes. Brakuje papieru means “There’s a shortage of paper” in general. Without the dative, you don’t specify who is affected. You can also use other datives: Brakuje nam papieru (“We’re short on paper”).

Is it ever correct to say brakuję (e.g., “Brakuję papieru”)?

Not in this meaning. You don’t conjugate it as brakuję to mean “I lack.” Use impersonal 3rd singular: Brakuje mi papieru. Also avoid the common but nonstandard “Brakujesz mi” for “I miss you”; say Brakuje mi ciebie or better, Tęsknię za tobą.

How do I say this in the past or future, or as a one‑time event?

Ongoing/state (imperfective): Past: Brakowało mi papieru. Future: Będzie mi brakowało papieru.
Single “ran out” event (perfective): Future: Zabraknie mi papieru. Past: Zabrakło mi papieru.
Very common alternative for “ran out”: Past: Skończył mi się papier; Future: Skończy mi się papier.

What’s the nuance difference between Brakuje mi papieru and Nie mam papieru?

Brakuje mi papieru highlights a shortage relative to a need or task (“I’m lacking the paper I need”).
Nie mam papieru is straightforward possession: “I don’t have any paper.” Both are fine; the first sounds more contextual to the task at hand.

Can I say Brak mi papieru?

Yes. That uses the noun brak (“lack”) plus dative: Brak mi papieru. It’s a bit more formal/literary. Signs and messages often use Brak papieru (“No paper”).

Why is the conjunction a used instead of i or ale in …, a drukarka czeka?

a often means “whereas/and meanwhile,” adding a mild contrast or shift.
i is a neutral “and,” simply adding information.
ale is “but,” marking a stronger contrast/objection. All three can fit, but the nuance changes: a suggests “and at the same time/whereas.”

Is the comma before a required?

Yes. When a links two independent clauses, Polish requires a comma: …, a …. Polish also uses a comma before ale. There’s usually no comma before i unless special conditions are met.

Can I say Drukarka czeka na papier?

Yes, that’s very natural. Czekać na + ACC is the normal pattern: (na) papier is accusative. It makes the second clause more explicit: the printer is waiting for paper.

Would oczekuje work here?

Yes, but it’s more formal/technical. Patterns:

oczekiwać czegoś (GEN): Drukarka oczekuje papieru.
or oczekiwać na + ACC: Drukarka oczekuje na papier. Manuals/devices often use this verb.

What case is papier after na in czeka na papier?

Accusative. For masculine inanimate nouns like papier, the accusative equals the nominative, so it stays papier (not “papieru”).

Is papier countable? When would I use papiery?

papier is usually a mass noun (material). For sheets, say kartka/kartki (papieru): Brakuje mi kartki papieru (“I’m missing a sheet of paper”).
papiery typically means “documents/papers,” not printer paper. For quantities of printer paper, use units like arkusz(e) or ryza.

Any tips on pronunciation and stress?

Polish stress is penultimate:

brakuje: bra-KU-je
papieru: pa-PIE-ru
drukarka: dru-KAR-ka The clitic mi is normally unstressed.

Could I express the cause–effect more directly between the clauses?

Yes:

Cause: Drukarka czeka, bo brakuje mi papieru (“because”).
Result: Brakuje mi papieru, więc drukarka czeka (“so/therefore”). These make the logical link explicit.

How do I negate this idea naturally?

Grammatically: Nie brakuje mi papieru (“I’m not lacking paper”), but in everyday speech people more often say Mam papier. With “nothing”: Nie brakuje mi niczego (note the genitive niczego).