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### Setting the Time in the Past

To specify when an action happened, you will often use the word **temu** (ago). Unlike in English, **temu** always comes *after* the time period, such as **miesiąc temu** (a month ago) or **tydzień temu** (a week ago). For events happening during a break, use **w wakacje** (during the vacation).

### Virile (Mixed or All-Male) Groups

In the plural past tense, Polish verbs change depending on *who* is in the group. Use the **virile** (or masculine personal) form if the group contains **at least one male person** (e.g., "my husband and I", "the students", or a mixed group of friends). 

For virile groups, the past tense stem ends in a soft **-l-** followed by these endings:

| Pronoun | Ending | Example |
|---|---|---|
| **My** (we) | **-liśmy** | byliśmy (we were) |
| **Wy** (you, plural) | **-liście** | byliście (you were) |
| **Oni** (they) | **-li** | byli (they were) |

When addressing a mixed or all-male group formally as "you" (**państwo**), use the 3rd person plural **oni** ending (**-li**).

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### Non-Virile (All-Female, Children, Objects) Groups

Use the **non-virile** form when the group does **not** include any men. This covers all-female groups, children, animals, and inanimate objects. 

For non-virile groups, the past tense stem ends in a hard **-ł-** followed by these endings:

| Pronoun | Ending | Example |
|---|---|---|
| **My** (we) | **-łyśmy** | byłyśmy (we were) |
| **Wy** (you, plural) | **-łyście** | byłyście (you were) |
| **One** (they) | **-ły** | były (they were) |

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### Comparing the Two Forms

Notice how the verb ending immediately tells you whether a man was part of the group or not:

{{item:946464}}

Plural past tense (-li / -ły)

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)

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

Numbers 2, 3, and 4

Question	Answer
month	miesiąc
ago	temu
My husband and I were in Warsaw a month ago.	Mój mąż i ja byliśmy w Warszawie miesiąc temu.
to travel (make a journey)	podróżować
week	tydzień
The women traveled a week ago.	Kobiety podróżowały tydzień temu.
vacation	wakacje
to stay	zostać
During the vacation, the students stayed at home.	W wakacje studenci zostali w domu.
trip	wycieczka
mountain	góra
They (feminine) were going on a trip to the mountains.	One jechały na wycieczkę w góry.
You and your husband traveled a lot during the vacation.	Ty i twój mąż dużo podróżowaliście w wakacje.
They (feminine) stayed there for a month.	One zostały tam miesiąc.
A week ago the students were going on a trip.	Tydzień temu studenci jechali na wycieczkę.
Where did you (formal, plural) travel on Friday?	Gdzie państwo podróżowali w piątek?
On Monday the female students were walking to the mountains.	W poniedziałek studentki szły w góry.
My sister and I were walking to the office, and they were going on a trip.	Moja siostra i ja szłyśmy do biura, a oni jechali na wycieczkę.