Breakdown of Niektórzy twierdzą, że ewolucja to mit, ale ja w to wątpię.
to
this
ja
I
ale
but
w
in / on (a day)
Questions & Answers about Niektórzy twierdzą, że ewolucja to mit, ale ja w to wątpię.
Why do we need the preposition w in w to wątpię?
The verb wątpić (to doubt) doesn't take a direct object like it does in English. Instead, it requires the preposition w (in) followed by the accusative case. So, to say 'I doubt it', you must say w to wątpię (literally 'I doubt in it').
Can I drop the word że after twierdzą, like I can drop 'that' in English?
No, in Polish you must always keep że when introducing a subordinate clause with epistemic verbs like twierdzić (to claim) or przypuszczać (to assume). In English, 'Some claim evolution is a myth' sounds natural, but in Polish, skipping że is a grammatical error.
Why is the phrase ewolucja to mit used instead of ewolucja jest mitem?
Both are correct! When equating two nouns using the verb być (to be), the second noun takes the instrumental case (jest mitem). When using the particle to instead of a verb, both nouns stay in the basic nominative case (ewolucja to mit). The to structure is very common and natural in everyday speech.
Polish usually drops subject pronouns, so why is ja included before wątpię?