The frequentative verb: bywać
The verb bywać is the frequentative form of być (to be). While być simply means "to be," bywać emphasizes repetition or habit. It translates to "to be somewhere often," "to frequent," or "to tend to be."
Unlike the highly irregular być, bywać conjugates completely regularly according to the -am/-asz pattern:
| Pronoun | bywać |
|---|---|
| ja | bywam |
| ty | bywasz |
| on/ona/ono | bywa |
| my | bywamy |
| wy | bywacie |
| oni/one | bywają |
When talking about frequently visiting places like an intimate venue (kameralny lokal) or the opera (opera), use bywać plus the locative case, exactly as you would with być.
| On the weekend we often frequent this intimate venue. | W weekend często bywamy w tym kameralnym lokalu. |
| I frequent neither the opera nor the theatre. | Nie bywam ani w operze, ani w teatrze. |
| Do you frequent cultural festivals, sir? | Czy pan bywa na festiwalach kulturalnych? |
Habitual states and regulars
You can also use bywać to describe habitual states—how things "tend to be" or "sometimes are" in a given place.
| Both in the café and in the pub it tends to be very crowded. | Zarówno w kawiarni, jak i w pubie bywa bardzo tłoczno. |
Someone who frequents a place is called a regular (bywalec). To emphasize that they are a constant patron, use the adjective stały (steady).
| We know this regular from our favorite venue. | Znamy tego bywalca z naszego ulubionego lokalu. |
| Every regular patron knows that it tends to be crowded here. | Każdy stały bywalec wie, że bywa tutaj tłoczno. |
| Regulars say that the atmosphere here is sometimes awful. | Bywalcy mówią, że atmosfera tutaj bywa okropna. |
Socializing and going out
When talking about spending time in good company (towarzystwo), notice the difference between bywać w (frequenting a place), chodzić do (going as a general routine), and iść do (going right now).
| I often frequent this pub because there is a great vibe there. | Często bywam w tym pubie, bo jest tam świetny nastrój. |
| I always go to the opera in her company. | Zawsze chodzę do opery w jej towarzystwie. |
| I am going to the pub with him because I like the atmosphere. | Idę z nim do pubu, bo lubię tę atmosferę. |
