Learn Polish: Wiadomo, że nowa zmywarka jest zepsuta. - It is known that the new dishwasher is broken.

The noun zmywarka is built from the verb zmywać (to wash dishes) and the suffix -arka. In Polish, this suffix is heavily used to create names for appliances and machines (Nomina instrumenti) based on what they do. Other common examples include suszarka (dryer) from suszyć (to dry) and koparka (excavator) from kopać (to dig).

Why do we use wiadomo here instead of a passive phrase like "to jest znane"?

Wiadomo is an impersonal predicative adverb meaning "it is known" or "as we know." Polish strongly prefers these fixed, one-word impersonal constructions over literal translations from English passive voice. It functions independently as the entire main clause, which is why it doesn't need the verb jest next to it.

What role does the prefix ze- play in the word zepsuta?

The prefix ze- changes the aspect of the base verb. While the imperfective psuć means "to be breaking" or "going bad" (an ongoing process), the perfective zepsuć means "to break" completely. Used here as a passive participle, zepsuta emphasizes a completed state: the dishwasher broke in the past and remains broken now.

Why does zepsuta end in -a?