Let's learn how to add strong emphasis to your reasons in Polish—while navigating the dietary restrictions of having brand new braces.
Setting the Scene: Braces
When you visit the orthodontist, you'll often leave with new hardware and some strict rules about what you can eat.
| Yesterday I got braces from the orthodontist. | Wczoraj dostałem aparat od ortodonty. |
| The orthodontist asked me not to bite hard things. | Ortodonta prosił mnie, abym nie gryzł twardych rzeczy. |
Amplifying Reasons: Tym bardziej, że
To explain why you are taking extra precautions or making a specific choice, you can use the correlative conjunction tym bardziej, że (especially since / all the more so because). It connects a main clause to a strong, amplifying reason.
Note on punctuation: Depending on the flow of the sentence, you will see the comma placed right before the entire phrase (..., tym bardziej że) or directly before the word że (tym bardziej, że). Both are standard ways to separate the clauses in everyday writing.
| I have to be careful, especially since I have new braces. | Muszę uważać, tym bardziej że mam nowy aparat. |
| I cannot take a bite of this apple, especially since my teeth hurt. | Nie mogę ugryźć tego jabłka, tym bardziej że bolą mnie zęby. |
Sticky Situations
Let's apply this to the ultimate enemies of braces: gummy candies (żelki) and gum (guma). These foods are notoriously sticky (kleisty), making them dangerous to bite (gryźć) or chew (żuć).
| Gummy candies and gum are very sticky. | Żelki i guma są bardzo kleiste. |
Notice how the conjunction perfectly highlights the extra justification for avoiding these sticky treats or giving them up completely:
| I avoid gummy candies, especially since you are not allowed to chew them. | Unikam żelek, tym bardziej że nie wolno ich żuć. |
| He stopped chewing gum, especially since a part of his braces came off. | Przestał żuć gumę, tym bardziej, że odkleiła mu się część aparatu. |