Breakdown of Co za bezczelność, że kłamie!
że
that
kłamać
to lie (tell an untruth)
co za
what a
bezczelność
insolence
Questions & Answers about Co za bezczelność, że kłamie!
Why is bezczelność in the nominative case? Doesn't the preposition za usually require the accusative or instrumental case?
You are right that za normally dictates a specific case, but co za is a fixed exclamatory phrase meaning "what a...". When used this way, it acts as an identifier and the noun that follows it always stays in the nominative case.
Can I use jaka instead of co za in this exclamation?
Yes, you could absolutely say Jaka bezczelność, że kłamie! The phrase co za is just a slightly more colloquial and expressive way to say "what a...". Notice that while jaka has to match the feminine gender of bezczelność, co za is fixed and never changes form.
What exactly is the construction że kłamie doing here? Could I just use an infinitive?
Using że with a conjugated verb focuses on the specific action of a specific person (that he or she is lying). If you wanted to make a general statement like "What insolence to lie!", you could drop the że and just use the infinitive: Co za bezczelność kłamać!
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