Questions & Answers about To słowo oznacza język.
Because słowo (word) is a neuter noun, and to is the basic demonstrative used with neuter nouns in the nominative.
- ten = this/that (masculine)
- ta = this/that (feminine)
- to = this/that (neuter)
So:
- to słowo = this/that word
If you said ten słowo, it would be grammatically wrong, because ten must go with a masculine noun like ten samochód (this car).
Słowo is in the nominative singular.
In this sentence:
- To słowo = the subject (this word)
- oznacza = the verb (means)
- język = the object (language)
Subjects are normally in the nominative case in Polish, so słowo stays in its dictionary form.
Język is in the accusative singular.
For masculine inanimate nouns like język, the accusative = nominative, so the form doesn’t change:
- nominative: język
- accusative: język
That’s why it looks just like the dictionary form, even though here it is the direct object of oznacza.
Polish simply does not have articles like English a/an or the.
Context tells you whether to understand:
- to słowo as this word, that word, or sometimes just the word
- język as a language, the language, etc.
So To słowo oznacza język can be translated as:
- This word means language, or
- That word means language, depending on context.
Oznacza is the 3rd person singular present tense of the verb oznaczać (imperfective).
Meaning and use:
- oznaczać = to mean, to signify, to denote
- to słowo oznacza język = this word means / signifies / denotes language
Because it’s imperfective in the present, it describes a general, timeless fact (like English means), not a one‑time act.
Both can often be translated as means, but there is a nuance:
- znaczyć (3rd sg: znaczy) is very common and neutral:
- To słowo znaczy język.
- oznaczać (3rd sg: oznacza) can feel a bit more formal or technical, often used about symbols, signs, abbreviations, etc.:
- Ten znak oznacza niebezpieczeństwo. (This sign means/indicates danger.)
In your sentence, oznacza and znaczy would both be understood and acceptable in everyday speech.
Polish word order is flexible, but not every permutation sounds natural.
Most natural options here:
- To słowo oznacza język. (neutral, standard)
- To słowo język oznacza. (possible but sounds marked/emphatic, and a bit odd in isolation)
If you switch the roles:
- Język oznacza to słowo.
This actually changes the meaning: Language means this word, which is logically strange in most contexts.
So for the intended meaning, To słowo oznacza język is the normal, recommended order.
Literally, język has two main meanings:
- language (English, Polish, French, etc.)
- tongue, the organ in your mouth
In your sentence:
- To słowo oznacza język.
Context would normally make it clear. Without context, most learners (and most speakers) will first understand language. To clearly mean tongue, you’d usually specify or use a more explicit context:
- To słowo oznacza język jako część ciała.
(This word means the tongue as a body part.)
To covers both this and that, depending on:
- physical distance
- what you’re pointing at mentally in the conversation
In practice:
- If you point at a word on a page next to you, to słowo will usually be translated as this word.
- If you refer to a word you mentioned earlier, it might be translated as that word.
Polish does have tamto for that (over there), but to is very common and neutral.
Very roughly in English terms:
- ł in słowo = like English w in word → swo-vo
- ó in słowo = like u in rule → swoo-vo
- ż in oznacza = like zh in measure → ozh-nacha
- cz in oznacza = like ch in church, but harder → cha
- ę in język (before z) = a nasal e, somewhat like French in / en but then followed quickly by z → yen‑zyk (with a light nasal)
- y in język = a hard, central vowel, between English i in bit and u in bus, but further back in the mouth → not like ee in see
So a rough approximation:
- To słowo oznacza język ≈ To swoo-vo o-zhna-cha yen-zyk.