Breakdown of Nie wiem, o co chodzi.
nie wiem
I don't know
o co chodzi
what's the matter? what is it about?
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Questions & Answers about Nie wiem, o co chodzi.
Why use chodzi (it walks) to say what something is about?
The verb chodzić literally means to walk, but the combination chodzić o is a fixed idiom in Polish that means to be about or to be a matter of. The phrase o co chodzi is the standard way to ask what is going on or what something is about.
Why is there a comma before o co?
Polish punctuation rules are very strict about separating clauses. Because o co chodzi is a subordinate clause with its own verb (chodzi), you must separate it from the main clause (Nie wiem) with a comma.
What case is co in here?
It is in the accusative case. The preposition o requires the accusative case when used with chodzić to mean about or concerning. The accusative form of the pronoun co (what) is exactly the same as its basic dictionary form.
Could I translate Nie wiem, o co chodzi as I don't know what's going on?
Absolutely. In everyday conversation, O co chodzi? is frequently used to ask What is going on?, What is the matter?, or What do you mean?. Using it here makes it a very natural way to express that you are entirely confused by a situation.