Na płycie winylowej jest mały ślad.

Because the preposition na here means on, and when na means location, it normally requires the locative case.

• dictionary form: płyta = record / disc / plate
• locative singular: płycie

So:

• płyta = a record
• na płycie = on the record

This is a very common pattern in Polish:

• na stole = on the table
• na ścianie = on the wall
• na płycie = on the record

Because adjectives in Polish have to agree with the noun they describe in case, number, and gender.

Here, płyta is:

• feminine
• singular
• in the locative case because of na

So the adjective winylowy changes to match it:

• basic form: winylowy = vinyl
• feminine locative singular: winylowej

So:

• płyta winylowa = a vinyl record
• na płycie winylowej = on the vinyl record

Because ślad is a masculine noun, so the adjective has to be masculine too.

• ślad = mark / trace / sign
• masculine adjective form: mały = small

Compare:

• mały ślad = a small mark
• mała płyta = a small record/disc

So the ending of the adjective depends on the gender of the noun it describes.

Here jest means is or, more naturally in English, there is.

Polish often uses jest in sentences that introduce the existence of something somewhere:

• Na stole jest książka. = There is a book on the table.
• W pokoju jest okno. = There is a window in the room.
• Na płycie winylowej jest mały ślad. = There is a small mark on the vinyl record.

So this sentence is not just linking two things. It is saying that something exists in a certain place.

Yes. That version is also correct, and many learners may find it more expected because adjectives often come before the noun in Polish.

So both are possible:

• na płycie winylowej
• na winylowej płycie

The version with winylowej after the noun is not wrong, but na winylowej płycie may sound more neutral to many speakers.

It can work, but it is somewhat general.

Ślad means something like:

• mark
• trace
• sign

Depending on the exact kind of damage, Polish might also use other words:

• ryska / rysa = scratch
• plama = stain / spot
• zarysowanie = scratching / a scratch mark

So mały ślad is understandable as a small mark, but if you specifically mean a scratch on a vinyl record, a word like ryska might sometimes be more precise.

Because Polish does not have articles like English a / an / the.

So:

• płyta can mean a record or the record
• ślad can mean a mark or the mark

The exact meaning depends on context.

That means Na płycie winylowej jest mały ślad could be understood as:

• There is a small mark on a vinyl record.
• There is a small mark on the vinyl record.

Usually the situation makes it clear.

Polish word order is much more flexible than English word order.

Starting with Na płycie winylowej puts the location first. This is very natural when you want to say where something is.

• Na płycie winylowej jest mały ślad. = On the vinyl record, there is a small mark.
• Mały ślad jest na płycie winylowej. = A small mark is on the vinyl record.

Both are grammatical, but the first version sounds more natural as a simple observation.

A few useful pronunciation points:

• ł sounds like English w
• y is a Polish vowel with no exact English equivalent
• ś is a soft sh-like sound
• ci before a vowel often sounds a bit like a soft ch / ty combination

Rough guides:

• płycie ≈ PWIH-cheh
• winylowej ≈ vee-nih-LOH-vey
• ślad ≈ shlyat (very rough)

Also remember:

• w in Polish sounds like English v
• j sounds like English y

So winylowej starts with a v sound, not a w sound.

The dictionary forms are:

• na = on
• płycie → płyta
• winylowej → winylowy
• jest → być (to be)
• mały → mały
• ślad → ślad

This is useful because Polish words often appear in changed forms, especially nouns and adjectives.

It is an adjective meaning something like vinyl or made of vinyl.

So:

• płyta winylowa = vinyl record

English often uses a noun as an adjective, as in vinyl record. Polish usually uses an adjective form instead:

• winyl = vinyl
• winylowy / winylowa / winylowe = vinyl, made of vinyl

So Polish expresses this idea a little differently from English.

Normally, no. In this kind of sentence, jest is needed.

• Na płycie winylowej jest mały ślad. = correct
• Na płycie winylowej mały ślad. = not natural as a normal sentence

Polish sometimes drops forms of to be in the present tense, but not in a sentence like this expressing existence or location. Here jest is important.