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In Polish, adding a prefix to a verb often changes its meaning in highly specific ways. The versatile prefix **pod-** (literally "under") is frequently used to mark an action that happens "under the radar." It gives verbs a sense of stealth, secrecy, or being done to a minor degree.

To talk about a character who frequently engages in these kinds of actions, you can use the adjective **wścibski** (nosy).

### Stealthy Observations

When applied to verbs of perception or communication, **pod-** changes them into secretive or intrusive actions. For example, looking becomes spying (*podglądać*), asking becomes subtly fishing for information (*podpytywać*), and listening becomes eavesdropping (*podsłuchiwać*).

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### Secretive Actions and Misdeeds

This prefix is also used for physical actions done slyly, often entirely unnoticeably (**niepostrzeżenie**). Adding *pod-* creates verbs for secretly swapping things (*podmienić*), planting evidence or items (*podrzucić*), and stealthily stealing or pilfering (*podkraść*).

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### Diminished Actions

Beyond secrecy, **pod-** can also express doing an action just a little bit or to a minor degree. For example, turning a knob slightly to increase something is *podkręcić*, while eating small amounts on the side is *podjadać*. 

Notice how *podjadać* perfectly combines both meanings of the *pod-* prefix: eating in small amounts, and often doing it secretly!

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Diminished and stealthy actions (pod-)

adjective

adverb

conjunction

determiner

interjection

noun

numeral

particle

predicative

preposition

pronoun

proper noun

sentence

verb

This is (to jest)

The verb to be, singular (być)

Formal address (Pan, Pani)

Demonstrative pronouns (ten, ta, to)

Adjective agreement

Negation (nie)

Basic questions (czy, kto, co, gdzie, jak)

The verb to be, plural (być)

Present tense -m/-sz verbs

Reflexive verbs (się)

Coordinating conjunctions (i, a, ale)

Feminine direct objects (Accusative)

Inanimate direct objects (Accusative)

Animate masculine direct objects (Accusative)

Present tense verbs 2 (-ę, -isz / -ysz)

Expressing location (w, na)

Locative adjective agreement

Professions and nationalities (Instrumental)

Accompaniment (z + Instrumental)

Present tense verbs 3 (-ę, -esz)

Plural possessives (nasz, wasz)

Numbers 1 to 10

Genitive of possession

Genitive of negation

Lack or absence (nie ma)

Basic quantifiers (dużo, mało, trochę)

Liking things (podoba mi się)

Modal verbs (móc, musieć)

Subordinating conjunctions (bo, że)

Unidirectional motion verbs (iść, jechać)

Expressing age (mieć... lat)

Habitual motion (chodzić, jeździć)

Expressing destination (do)

Days of the week (poniedziałek, wtorek...)

Plural nouns for objects and animals

Plural nouns for people

Plural adjective agreement

Accusative object pronouns (go, ją, je...)

The past tense of to be (był)

Singular past tense (-łem, -łam...)

Expressing age (mieć + lata / lat)

Plural past tense (-li / -ły)

Perfective past tense

Future tense (będę + infinitive)

Age: one year (mieć rok)

Prices and currency (złoty, grosz)

Destination (na + accusative)

Non-masculine plurals (-e, -y, -i)

Instrumental pronouns (ze mną, z tobą)

To know (znać vs wiedzieć)

The future perfective tense

The imperative mood

Months of the year (styczeń, luty)

Greetings and farewells (dzień dobry, cześć)

Introducing yourself (mam na imię)

Thank you and sorry (dziękuję, przepraszam)

Left, right, up and down (po lewej stronie)

Parts of the body (ręka, noga)

Parts of the day (dzień, noc, południe)

What is it like? (jaki, jaka, jakie)

Speaking Polish (mówić po polsku)

Instrumental for adjectives (dobrym, dobrą)

Please do... (proszę + infinitive)

Interests (interesować się + Instrumental)

Can one? (można, trzeba, nie wolno)

By bus or by train (jechać autobusem)

Where are you from? (jestem z Polski)

Where exactly? (obok, przy, przed, za, pod, nad)

What time is it? (Która godzina?)

Not seeing her (go, jej, ich; niego, niej, nich)

When I have time (kiedy as a conjunction)

Irregular past stems (miał, mieli)

The verb 'iść' in the past (szedł, szli)

Imperfective future (będę odpoczywał)

Past aspect (robił vs zrobił)

Future aspect (będzie malował vs pomaluje)

Perfective motion with po- (pójść, pojechać)

Arrival verbs with przy- (przyjść, przyjechać)

Departure verbs with wy- (wyjść, wyjechać)

The Vocative case (Panie, Mamo)

Plural possessives (moi, moje)

Reflexive possessive pronouns (swój)

Genitive plural of masculine nouns (-ów, -y, -i)

Genitive plural of feminine and neuter nouns

Genitive plural of adjectives (-ych, -ich)

Accusative plural of masculine personal nouns

Question	Answer
nosy	wścibski
to spy on	podglądać
This nosy man is spying on us through the window.	Ten wścibski mężczyzna podgląda nas przez okno.
to fish for information	podpytywać
The nosy neighbor fishes for information as if she knew nothing.	Wścibska sąsiadka podpytuje, jakby nic nie wiedziała.
The neighbor always spies on people.	Sąsiad zawsze podgląda ludzi.
to eavesdrop	podsłuchiwać
Why is he eavesdropping on our conversation?	Dlaczego on podsłuchuje naszą rozmowę?
In my opinion, the boss was eavesdropping on the employees for no reason.	Według mnie szef podsłuchiwał pracowników bez powodu.
He always subtly asks about our secrets.	Zawsze podpytuje o nasze tajemnice.
unnoticeably	niepostrzeżenie
to secretly swap	podmienić
Who unnoticeably swapped the sugar?	Kto niepostrzeżenie podmienił cukier?
He switched the documents as if nothing had happened.	Podmienił dokumenty, jakby nic się nie wydarzyło.
to secretly plant	podrzucić
Someone secretly planted this letter under my door.	Ktoś podrzucił ten list pod moje drzwi.
The nosy guy planted fake evidence on us.	Wścibski facet podrzucił nam fałszywy dowód.
to turn up slightly	podkręcić
It was cold, so he slightly turned up the heating.	Było zimno, więc podkręcił ogrzewanie.
He turned up the music so that no one would hear the conversation.	Podkręcił muzykę, żeby nikt nie słyszał rozmowy.
to snack secretly	podjadać
I always secretly snack at night with the lights off.	Zawsze podjadam w nocy bez światła.
Children often secretly snack on sweets before dinner.	Dzieci często podjadają słodycze przed obiadem.
He entered the office completely unnoticeably.	Wszedł do biura zupełnie niepostrzeżenie.
to pilfer	podkraść
That thief can stealthily pilfer money.	Ten złodziej potrafi niepostrzeżenie podkraść pieniądze.
Be careful so that no one steals your ideas.	Uważaj, żeby nikt nie podkradł twoich pomysłów.
This nosy neighbor wants to plant fake evidence on us.	Ten wścibski sąsiad chce nam podrzucić fałszywy dowód.