Questions & Answers about Ryby żyją w wodzie.
Why is ryby plural, and what would the singular be?
Ryby is the plural form of ryba meaning fish.
- ryba = a fish / the fish (singular)
- ryby = fish (plural)
In this sentence, ryby is the subject, so it means fish as a group.
A useful extra point: ryby can also be the accusative plural form, but here it is clearly nominative plural because it is the subject of the sentence.
Why is the verb żyją used here?
Żyją is the 3rd person plural present tense form of the verb żyć, which means to live.
So:
- żyć = to live
- żyją = they live
Because ryby is plural, the verb also has to be plural:
- Ryba żyje = A fish lives
- Ryby żyją = Fish live
What person and number is żyją?
Żyją is:
- 3rd person
- plural
- present tense
In English, that corresponds to they live.
Polish verbs often show the subject through their endings, so the ending -ą here tells you it is they.