Breakdown of Napisałem list motywacyjny do tej firmy.
ten
this (m)
firma
company
do
to
napisać
to write (perfective)
list motywacyjny
cover letter (m)
Questions & Answers about Napisałem list motywacyjny do tej firmy.
The English translation says 'cover letter', but motywacyjny looks like 'motivational'. Is this the standard term in Polish?
Yes! A cover letter for a job application is always called a list motywacyjny in Polish. It literally means 'motivational letter', because you are explaining your motivation for applying.
Why does the adjective come after the noun in list motywacyjny instead of before it?
In Polish, adjectives usually go before the noun if they just describe it (like a long letter - długi list). However, classifying adjectives, which tell you what type or category something belongs to, go after the noun. Since a list motywacyjny is a specific official category of document, the adjective comes second.
The translation says 'to that company', but doesn't tej mean 'this'?
Yes, tej is the Genitive form of ta (this). While Polish does have a specific word for 'that' (tamta), native speakers very often use ten/ta/to for both 'this' and 'that' unless they really need to point out the difference between two things. So do tej firmy translates naturally as 'to that company' here.
Could I use the imperfective verb pisałem here instead of napisałem?
You could, but it changes the meaning. Napisałem is perfective, meaning the action is fully completed: the letter is written and done. If you said Pisałem list motywacyjny do tej firmy, it focuses on the process: 'I was writing a cover letter to that company', which leaves it open whether you actually finished it.
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