Question 1

The word za usually means "behind" or "for". Why is it translated as "too" here?

Accepted Answer

In Polish, when za is placed directly before an adjective or adverb, it means "too" or "excessively." So za niskie means "too low." You will see this structure a lot, like in za drogi (too expensive) or za szybko (too fast).

Question 2

Is zarobki always plural, just like "earnings" in English?

Accepted Answer

Yes, when talking about your general salary, income, or wages, Poles almost always use the plural form zarobki. The singular form, zarobek, does exist, but it usually refers to a single, specific instance of making a profit or earning some money.

Question 3

Why do we use Moje and niskie instead of Moi and niscy?

Accepted Answer

Because zarobki is not a group of men! In the plural, Polish adjectives and pronouns split into two categories: masculine personal (groups including at least one male person) and non-masculine (everything else: women, animals, objects, and abstract concepts). Since zarobki (earnings) is a concept, it takes the non-masculine plural endings -e, giving us Moje and niskie.

Question 4

Could I use zbyt instead of za to say "too low"?

Accepted Answer

Yes, absolutely! Moje zarobki są zbyt niskie means exactly the same thing. Zbyt and za are both adverbs meaning "too" or "excessively." Za is a bit more common in everyday spoken Polish, while zbyt sounds slightly more formal.

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