The -m / -sz Conjugation Group
Polish verbs change their endings to match the subject of the sentence. The first major group of present tense verbs is often called the -m / -sz group.
Verbs in their dictionary form (the infinitive) usually end in -ć, like oglądać (to watch) and znać (to know). To use them in a sentence, we drop the -ć and add a new ending:
- ja (I) takes -m
- ty (you, singular informal) takes -sz
- on / ona / ono (he/she/it) takes no extra ending, leaving just the base vowel (like -a).
| Pronoun | Verb form | Meaning |
|---|
| ja | znam | I know |
| ty | znasz | you know |
| on / ona / ono | zna | he / she / it knows |
Because the ending clearly tells us who is doing the action, you can usually drop pronouns like ja and ty.
We (-my)
When the subject is my (we), the verb ending is -my.
Everyday Actions
Many everyday verbs belong to this group, such as biegać (to run), pływać (to swim), and mieszkać (to live).
Verbs Ending in -eć
Some verbs in this group end in -eć rather than -ać. They follow the exact same pattern, but keep their -e vowel.
For example, umieć (to know how to / to be able to) becomes umiem (I can), umiesz (you can), and umie (he/she/it can).
When you want to say you can or cannot do an action, conjugate umieć and leave the second verb in its dictionary form (just like in English: "I know how to swim").
When speaking formally to someone using pan (sir) or pani (ma'am), use the third-person singular verb form—the exact same form you use for on and ona.
Other common verbs in the -m / -sz group include rozumieć (to understand) and mieć (to have).