Breakdown of Jeśli benzyna będzie tańsza, zatankujemy samochód przed podróżą.
być
to be
samochód
the car
przed
before
my
we
Questions & Answers about Jeśli benzyna będzie tańsza, zatankujemy samochód przed podróżą.
Why is it Jeśli here? Could I also say Jeżeli?
Yes. Jeśli and jeżeli both mean if.
- jeśli is very common and slightly more everyday
- jeżeli can sound a bit more formal or careful
So these are both natural:
- Jeśli benzyna będzie tańsza, zatankujemy samochód przed podróżą.
- Jeżeli benzyna będzie tańsza, zatankujemy samochód przed podróżą.
The meaning is the same.
Why does Polish use będzie tańsza after jeśli? In English we usually say If petrol is cheaper, not will be cheaper.
This is a very common difference between English and Polish.
In Polish, when you talk about a future condition, it is normal to use the future tense in the if-clause:
- Jeśli benzyna będzie tańsza... = If petrol is cheaper / if petrol becomes cheaper...
Literally, it looks like If petrol will be cheaper..., but that is just how Polish expresses future conditions.
So:
- English: If it rains, we’ll stay home.
- Polish: Jeśli będzie padać, zostaniemy w domu.
This is one of those places where Polish grammar does not match English grammar directly.
Why is it tańsza and not tańszy or tańsze?