Question 1

Why are snob and karierowicz in the Nominative case here, especially when our current lesson focuses on the Instrumental?

Accepted Answer

The exclamation co za (what a...) is always followed by the Nominative case. Because this sentence is a verbless exclamation, it doesn't trigger the Instrumental case. If you wanted to express this thought using the verbs from this lesson, the case would change: On okazał się snobem i karierowiczem (He turned out to be a snob and a careerist).

Question 2

Does karierowicz carry the exact same meaning as "careerist" in English?

Accepted Answer

It is actually a bit stronger and almost exclusively negative in Polish. A karierowicz is an opportunist or a ruthless social climber who will do anything to get ahead in their career, often stepping on others or sacrificing their morals to achieve success.

Question 3

Can I use co za for positive exclamations too, or is it only for complaining?

Accepted Answer

It is completely versatile and can express any strong emotion! While it perfectly fits expressing disgust here, you can just as easily use it for admiration, like Co za wspaniały człowiek! (What a wonderful person!) or surprise, like Co za niespodzianka! (What a surprise!).

Question 4

Could I use jaki instead of co za to say "What a snob"?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you could simply say Jaki snob!. Both co za and jaki are used for exclamations. The main difference is grammatical: co za is a fixed, unchanging phrase, whereas jaki acts like an adjective and must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun it modifies.

Co za snob i karierowicz!

Breakdown of Co za snob i karierowicz!

Questions & Answers about Co za snob i karierowicz!

Learn Co za snob i karierowicz and more in Polish