Breakdown of Ten urokliwy zamek ma być ukrytą perełką.
być
to be
ten
this (m)
zamek
castle
ukryty
hidden
mieć
to be supposed to
urokliwy
charming
perełka
the gem (f)
Questions & Answers about Ten urokliwy zamek ma być ukrytą perełką.
Why does ma być mean "is supposed to be" in this sentence instead of "has to be"?
In Polish, the verb mieć followed by an infinitive like być is frequently used to report hearsay, rumors, or unverified claims. It translates well to "is supposed to be" or "is said to be." So, ma być here means people say it is a hidden gem, rather than expressing a command or physical possession.
Could I use powinien być instead of ma być to say "is supposed to be"?
Why is the phrase ukrytą perełką in the instrumental case?
The verb być requires the instrumental case when linking a subject to a defining noun phrase. Because the phrase consists of an adjective and a noun, both take the feminine instrumental endings: -ą for the adjective (ukrytą) and -ą for the noun (perełką).
I know perła means "pearl". Why is the diminutive perełką used here to mean "gem"?
Just like English uses "hidden gem" for a great, undiscovered place, Polish uses the diminutive perełka (little pearl) for the exact same metaphor. Calling it a perła would sound a bit too grand, whereas ukryta perełka is the standard conversational phrase for a charming, little-known treasure.
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