Breakdown of Mam obowiązek wobec rodziny.
mieć
to have
rodzina
the family
obowiązek
the duty
wobec
towards; in relation to
Questions & Answers about Mam obowiązek wobec rodziny.
What does mam mean, and what verb is it from?
Mam means I have. It is the 1st person singular present tense form of the verb mieć (to have).
So:
- mieć = to have
- mam = I have
Why is it obowiązek after mam? Shouldn't the noun change?
Here obowiązek is the direct object of mam, so grammatically it is in the accusative case.
However, obowiązek is a masculine inanimate noun, and in Polish, many masculine inanimate nouns have the same form in the nominative and accusative singular.
So:
- nominative: obowiązek
- accusative: obowiązek
The case does change in function, but not in spelling.
What exactly does obowiązek mean?
Obowiązek means duty, obligation, or responsibility, depending on context.
In this sentence, it suggests a fairly serious sense of duty, not just a casual task. It can sound moral, social, or personal.
For example:
- mam obowiązek = I have a duty / I am obliged
- to mój obowiązek = it is my duty
What does wobec mean here?