Ona ma bandaż na nadgarstku, ale rana wygląda już lepiej.

to have

Breakdown of Ona ma bandaż na nadgarstku, ale rana wygląda już lepiej.

• ona: she
• na: on
• lepiej: better

Questions & Answers about Ona ma bandaż na nadgarstku, ale rana wygląda już lepiej.

Why is it Ona ma bandaż and not something with jest?

Because Polish uses mieć (to have) here, just like English does in She has a bandage on her wrist.

• ona ma = she has
• jest = is

So:

• Ona ma bandaż = She has a bandage
• Ona jest bandażem would mean something absurd like She is a bandage

Polish often uses mieć in very similar ways to English when talking about possession or something someone is wearing/using on the body.

Can I leave out Ona?

Yes, very often.

Polish usually drops subject pronouns when they are obvious from the verb form. Since ma already means he/she/it has, you could simply say:

• Ma bandaż na nadgarstku, ale rana wygląda już lepiej.

Adding Ona makes the subject more explicit. It can be used for:

• emphasis
• contrast
• clarity, if it is not obvious who is being talked about

So both are correct, but Ona is not always necessary.

Why is it bandaż and not bandażu?