Breakdown of Przepraszam, że przeszkadzam. Czy pan doktor ma chwilę?
pan
sir / Mr.
czy
[question particle]
mieć
to have
doktor
doctor (academic degree, title)
chwila
moment
przepraszam, że przeszkadzam
sorry to bother you, sorry to interrupt
Questions & Answers about Przepraszam, że przeszkadzam. Czy pan doktor ma chwilę?
Why does the Polish sentence use że przeszkadzam instead of an infinitive like "przeszkadzać"?
In English, we say "Sorry to interrupt," using the infinitive. However, Polish typically uses the conjunction że (that) followed by a conjugated verb for this expression. You are literally saying, "I apologize that I am interrupting."
Why is the question phrased as Czy pan doktor ma... (Does Mr. Doctor have...) instead of using the word for "you"?
In formal Polish, you address professionals and elders in the third person using their title. Instead of asking "Do you have a moment?", you literally ask "Does Mr. Doctor have a moment?" This is the standard, polite way to speak to a doctor or other professionals.
Why is it pan doktor in the Nominative case here, rather than the Vocative panie doktorze?
Because the doctor is grammatically the subject of the sentence ("Does the doctor have a moment?"). You would use the Vocative panie doktorze if you were directly addressing him before the question, for example: "Panie doktorze, czy ma pan chwilę?".
Why does the word for moment (chwila) change to chwilę at the end?
Chwila is a feminine noun. Because it is the direct object of the verb ma (has), it takes the Accusative case. For singular feminine nouns ending in -a, the Accusative ending is -ę.
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