Learn Hardcore Polish: To jest średni kubek.

Polish usually does not force a strict this/that distinction the way English does. To just points to something you can see or are talking about, and context decides whether you translate it as this, that, or it.

If you want to be more specific (for example, clearly this vs that over there), Polish often uses:

ten kubek – this / that mug (masculine)
tamten kubek – that mug (over there)

But To jest średni kubek. by itself is neutral: This/That is a medium mug.

Why do we say To jest średni kubek and not just To średni kubek?

The pattern to jest … is the most neutral, standard way in Polish to say This is … / That is … / It is ….

To jest średni kubek. – fully natural, neutral: This is a medium mug.

You can sometimes drop jest:

To średni kubek.

But then it sounds a bit more like:

a label or caption (e.g. on a diagram or pointing at something in a simple way),
a slightly more telegraphic style (e.g. in children’s books, headings).

In everyday, fully formed speech, To jest średni kubek. is safer and more typical for a learner to use.

Why is it średni and not średnia, średnie, or something else?

Średni is an adjective meaning roughly medium / medium-sized / average. Its form must agree with the noun kubek in:

gender,
number,
case.

Kubek is:

masculine,
singular,
nominative (the "dictionary form").

So the adjective must also be:

masculine,
singular,
nominative.

The basic nominative singular forms of an adjective (like średni) are:

masculine: średni
feminine: średnia
neuter: średnie

Examples:

średni kubek – medium mug (masculine)
średnia filiżanka – medium cup (feminine)
średnie krzesło – medium chair (neuter)

Because kubek is masculine, we choose średni: średni kubek.

What gender is kubek, and how can I tell?

Kubek is masculine inanimate.

Some clues:

Ending: many masculine nouns in the nominative singular end in a consonant (like kubek, stół, telefon).
- That often means masculine, but not always, so you still have to learn some nouns individually.
Adjective agreement:
You say:
- ten kubek (this mug) – ten is the masculine form of this/that
- średni kubek – średni is masculine
  This confirms that kubek behaves like a masculine noun.

Later, when you learn declensions, you’ll see forms like:

kubek (Nom. sg.)
kubka (Gen. sg.)
kubkowi (Dat. sg.) etc., which follow typical masculine patterns.

What case is kubek in here, and why?

In To jest średni kubek., the word kubek is in the nominative singular case.

After to jest used for identification (This is X / That is X), Polish typically uses nominative:

To jest kubek. – This is a mug.
To jest dobry pomysł. – This is a good idea.
To jest mój brat. – This is my brother.

A common beginner’s confusion: sometimes you see instrumental case after jest:

On jest lekarzem. – He is a doctor.
Ona jest dobrą nauczycielką. – She is a good teacher.

Rule of thumb for beginners:

to jest + [noun/adjective] → nominative
on/ona/ono jest + [profession/role/etc.] → instrumental

So:

To jest średni kubek. – nominative kubek is correct here.

Why is there no word for a or the in To jest średni kubek?

Polish does not have articles like a, an, or the.

To jest średni kubek. can mean:
- This is a medium mug.
- This is the medium mug.
  Context decides whether you understand it as a or the.

For example:

If you are choosing among different sizes:
To jest średni kubek. – This is the medium mug. (the one in the middle size)
If you are just pointing to a random mug:
To jest średni kubek. – This is a medium mug.

Polish simply doesn’t mark this difference grammatically most of the time.

Could I also say Ten kubek jest średni? What’s the difference?

Yes, Ten kubek jest średni. is also correct, but the focus is slightly different.

To jest średni kubek.
- Pattern: This is a medium mug.
- You are mostly identifying what the object is.
Ten kubek jest średni.
- Literally: This mug is medium.
- You are talking about the mug and describing its property (its size).

In practice:

When you introduce or point at something:
To jest średni kubek. – This is a medium mug.
When the mug is already known/selected and you comment on it:
Ten kubek jest średni. – This mug is medium(-sized).

Both sentences are grammatically correct; the nuance is in what you’re presenting as new information.

Can średni mean average or so-so, or is it only about size?

Średni has two main uses:

Literal / size-related – like medium / medium-sized:
- średni kubek – medium (size) mug
- średnia pizza – medium pizza
- średnie miasto – a mid-sized town
Qualitative / evaluative – like average / mediocre / so-so:
- To był średni film. – It was an average / so-so film.
- On jest średnim piłkarzem. – He is an average footballer.

In To jest średni kubek., the natural reading is medium-sized mug, not mediocre mug. Context usually makes it clear which meaning is intended.

Can I change the word order, like Średni kubek to jest?

Yes, Polish word order is more flexible than English, but changes in order often change the tone or emphasis.

Some possibilities:

To jest średni kubek.
- Neutral, the most typical order: This is a medium mug.
Średni kubek to jest.
- Possible, but sounds more emphatic, sometimes a bit stylistic or expressive, like:
  - Now that is a medium mug.
    (Surprise, contrast, or commentary.)
To średni kubek jest.
- Unusual and generally not recommended for learners; can sound awkward outside specific, marked contexts.

For everyday speech, stick to To jest średni kubek. until you’re very comfortable with Polish intonation and emphasis.

How do I pronounce To jest średni kubek?

Approximate pronunciation broken into words:

To – like toh (short o, not like English toe)
jest – roughly yest (the j is like English y in yes)
średni – approximately SHRED-nee, but:
- ś is a soft sh sound (like a lighter sh with the tongue a bit more forward)
- stress on the first syllable: ŚRED-ni
kubek – KOO-bek, stress on KU

Word stress in Polish is almost always on the second-to-last syllable:

ŚRED-ni
KU-bek

So the sentence rhythm is:

TO jest ŚRED-ni KU-bek.
with main stress on TO, ŚRED, and KU.