Breakdown of Zamiast ułatwić to zadanie, tylko je utrudniłeś.
to
this
ono
it (n)
tylko
only
zadanie
the task
zamiast
instead of
ułatwić
to make easier
utrudnić
to make difficult
Questions & Answers about Zamiast ułatwić to zadanie, tylko je utrudniłeś.
How exactly are the verbs ułatwić and utrudniłeś formed from adjectives?
They are formed by taking the root of an adjective, adding the prefix u-, and attaching the verb suffix -ić. From łatwy (easy) we get u-łatw-ić (to make easy), and from trudny (difficult) we get u-trudn-ić (to make difficult). The suffix -ić softens the final consonant of the root, which is why the n in trudny becomes a soft ni sound in utrudnić.
Why is the infinitive ułatwić used right after zamiast?
When the same subject is responsible for both actions in a sentence, Polish follows zamiast (instead of) directly with an infinitive. Because the same person ("you") is both failing to make the task easy and succeeding in making it difficult, the infinitive ułatwić is used. You don't need a verbal noun (like the English "instead of making") or a conjugated verb here.
What does the pronoun je refer to, and why isn't it at the end of the sentence?
je is the accusative neuter pronoun meaning "it," referring back to to zadanie (this task). Because je is a short, unstressed pronoun (a clitic), it avoids the very end of a sentence if possible. It naturally gravitates toward the middle of the clause, resting comfortably between the adverb tylko and the verb utrudniłeś.
Are ułatwić and utrudnić perfective or imperfective, and what are their counterparts?
These u- prefix verbs are perfective, meaning they focus on the completed result of the state change (the task successfully being made easier or harder). To talk about the ongoing process of "making things easier/harder," you would use their imperfective equivalents, which use the suffix -ać: ułatwiać and utrudniać.
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