Nie mogę teraz odebrać połączenia, bo jestem na spotkaniu.

I can't answer the call right now because I'm in a meeting.

Breakdown of Nie mogę teraz odebrać połączenia, bo jestem na spotkaniu.

• ja: I
• być: to be
• nie: not
• bo: because

Questions & Answers about Nie mogę teraz odebrać połączenia, bo jestem na spotkaniu.

Why is it połączenia and not połączenie?

Because Polish often uses the genitive for a direct object in a negative sentence.

• Positive: Mogę odebrać połączenie = I can answer the call.
• Negative: Nie mogę odebrać połączenia = I can’t answer the call.

So połączenie is the basic dictionary form, but after negation it commonly changes to połączenia.

Why is odebrać used instead of odbierać?

This is an aspect question.

• odebrać = perfective: to answer/pick up successfully, as a completed action
• odbierać = imperfective: to be answering, to answer repeatedly, or to answer in a general/habitual sense

In this sentence, the speaker means one specific action: answering this call right now. That is why odebrać sounds natural.

Does połączenie really mean call here?

Yes. Literally, połączenie can mean connection, but in phone language it also means call.

So odebrać połączenie means to answer a call.

This wording is a bit more neutral or slightly formal/technical. In everyday speech, people also often say:

• odebrać telefon
• odebrać rozmowę

or simply use other natural phrases depending on context.