Breakdown of Na tej stacji benzyna jest tańsza.
Questions & Answers about Na tej stacji benzyna jest tańsza.
Why is it na tej stacji and not w tej stacji?
Because Polish uses certain prepositions idiomatically with certain places, and station is one of the nouns that normally goes with na when you mean being at that location.
So:
- na stacji = at the station / at the gas station
- not usually w stacji in this meaning
This is similar to how English says at the station, not necessarily something more literal like in the station in every context.
A useful contrast:
- na tej stacji = at this station
- na tę stację = to this station
So here na is the normal choice for location.
Why does it say tej stacji instead of ta stacja?
Because after na when it means location, Polish uses the locative case.
The basic forms are:
- ta stacja = this station
But after na in a location phrase, they change to:
- na tej stacji = at this station
So both words change:
- ta → tej
- stacja → stacji
This is a very common pattern in Polish:
- na tej ulicy = on this street
- w tej szkole = in this school
- o tej książce = about this book
What case is benzyna in here?
Benzyna is in the nominative case because it is the subject of the sentence.
Structure:
- Na tej stacji = location phrase
- benzyna = subject
- jest = is
- tańsza = cheaper
So the core part is:
- benzyna jest tańsza = gasoline is cheaper
Since benzyna is feminine singular, the adjective also appears in the feminine singular form:
- tańsza
Why is it tańsza and not some other form like tańszy?
Because adjectives in Polish must agree with the noun they describe.
Here the noun is:
- benzyna — feminine singular
So the comparative adjective must also be feminine singular:
- masculine: tańszy
- feminine: tańsza
- neuter: tańsze
Compare:
- Chleb jest tańszy. = Bread is cheaper.
(chleb is masculine) - Benzyna jest tańsza. = Gasoline is cheaper.
(benzyna is feminine) - Mleko jest tańsze. = Milk is cheaper.
(mleko is neuter)
What is the base form of tańsza?
The base adjective is tani = cheap.
Its forms include:
- masculine: tani
- feminine: tania
- neuter: tanie
The comparative is:
- masculine: tańszy
- feminine: tańsza
- neuter: tańsze
So in this sentence:
- benzyna is feminine
- therefore tańsza is the correct form
Also note the spelling change:
- tani → tańszy / tańsza
That kind of stem change is normal in Polish comparatives.
Where is the word than? Cheaper than what?
Polish, like English, can leave the second part of a comparison unstated if it is clear from context.
So:
- Benzyna jest tańsza. = Gasoline is cheaper.
This usually implies:
- cheaper than before
- cheaper than elsewhere
- cheaper than at another station
- cheaper than some expected price
If you want to say it explicitly, Polish can use:
- niż = than
- od = than / compared with
For example:
- Na tej stacji benzyna jest tańsza niż na tamtej.
- Na tej stacji benzyna jest tańsza od benzyny na autostradzie.
In your sentence, the comparison is simply understood from context.
Is jest necessary here?
Yes, in normal standard Polish, jest is the natural and correct form here.
- Benzyna jest tańsza. = normal sentence
Leaving it out:
- Benzyna tańsza.
would sound incomplete, headline-like, or very nonstandard in ordinary speech.
So unlike some cases where Polish can omit words more freely, here jest is usually kept.
Can the word order be changed?
Yes. Polish word order is more flexible than English, although different orders change the emphasis.
Your sentence:
- Na tej stacji benzyna jest tańsza.
This emphasizes the location first: at this station.
Other possible orders:
- Benzyna jest tańsza na tej stacji.
More neutral, often closer to English word order. - Tańsza jest benzyna na tej stacji.
More marked; stronger emphasis on cheaper.
So the original sentence is perfectly natural, especially if the speaker wants to highlight this station as the important information.
Why is there no word for the?
Because Polish does not have articles like a and the.
So:
- benzyna can mean gasoline or the gasoline, depending on context
- stacja can mean station or the station, depending on context
Polish expresses definiteness in other ways, such as:
- context
- word order
- demonstratives like ta / ten / to = this / that
In this sentence, tej already helps point to a specific station:
- na tej stacji = at this station
Does na tej stacji literally mean on this station?
Literally, na is often taught as on, but in real Polish it has a wider range of meanings. Here it means at.
So:
- na tej stacji = at this station
This is one of those cases where translating prepositions word-for-word is not reliable. It is better to learn the whole phrase:
- na stacji
- na poczcie
- na lotnisku
Even if na often corresponds to on, in many location expressions it is best understood as at.
Could I also say na tej stacji benzynowej?
Yes. That would be a fuller, more explicit version.
- na tej stacji = at this station
- na tej stacji benzynowej = at this gas station
In many contexts, stacja by itself is enough if everyone already knows you mean a gas station. But if you want to be fully clear, stacja benzynowa is perfectly natural.
So both are possible:
- Na tej stacji benzyna jest tańsza.
- Na tej stacji benzynowej benzyna jest tańsza.
The second one is just more specific.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning PolishMaster Polish — from Na tej stacji benzyna jest tańsza to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions