Breakdown of Ten nowy stół jest o dwa centymetry niższy.
być
to be
stół
table
ten
this (m)
nowy
new
dwa
two
o
by (margin of difference)
centymetr
centimeter
niższy
shorter
Questions & Answers about Ten nowy stół jest o dwa centymetry niższy.
Why do we need the word o before the measurement here?
In Polish, to specify how much greater, smaller, or different something is, you use the preposition o followed by the Accusative case. While English just says "two centimeters lower", Polish structurally says "lower by two centimeters" (o dwa centymetry niższy).
Is dwa centymetry in the Accusative case here?
Yes. The preposition o requires the Accusative case for the margin of difference. Because centymetr is a masculine inanimate noun, its Accusative plural phrase (dwa centymetry) looks exactly the same as its Nominative form, which is why it might seem like the case hasn't changed.
Could I change the word order and say jest niższy o dwa centymetry?
Absolutely. Both word orders are perfectly natural. Putting the difference first (o dwa centymetry niższy) adds a slight emphasis to the exact measurement, while putting the adjective first (niższy o dwa centymetry) is very common in casual speech.
Why is the comparative form niższy instead of bardziej niski?
Short, everyday adjectives like niski (low or short) usually have one-word comparative forms instead of using bardziej. The stem changes and takes the -szy ending, making it niższy. It ends in -y here to agree with the masculine singular noun stół.
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