Breakdown of To była tylko gafa, po prostu się przejęzyczyłem.
to
this
być
to be
tylko
only
po prostu
simply, just
gafa
the faux pas
przejęzyczyć się
to misspeak
Questions & Answers about To była tylko gafa, po prostu się przejęzyczyłem.
What does the prefix prze- do in the verb przejęzyczyłem?
In the context of this lesson, the prefix prze- indicates an error, slip-up, or oversight. The base of the word comes from język (tongue). By adding prze- and making it a verb, przejęzyczyć się literally means to make a slip of the tongue or to misspeak.
Why is the verb przejęzyczyć reflexive, using się?
Many Polish verbs that describe making an accidental mistake use both the prze- prefix and the reflexive pronoun się. You can think of it as accidentally doing something to yourself or tripping yourself up. The verb przejęzyczyć actually does not exist without się.
Why does the sentence start with To była instead of the standard neuter form To było?
When you use the pronoun to to introduce something, the past tense of the verb być (to be) must agree in gender with the noun that follows it. Because gafa (blunder) is a feminine noun, the verb must take the feminine form była.
Is gafa a common word, and what is a natural way to use it in conversation?
Yes, gafa is the standard, everyday word for a social blunder or faux pas. A very common and natural-sounding phrase you should know at a B2 level is strzelić gafę, which means to commit a blunder (literally to shoot a faux pas).
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