Word
To jest samochód. On jest daleko.
Meaning
This is a car. It is far.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Questions & Answers about To jest samochód. On jest daleko.
Why does the second sentence use on (he) for a car instead of ono (it)?
In Polish, every noun has a grammatical gender. Because samochód (car) is a masculine noun, you must use the masculine pronoun on to refer back to it, even though it is an object. You only use ono for neuter nouns (which usually end in -o, -e, or -ę).
Why do we use to in the first sentence and on in the second?
The word to is used to point out or introduce something for the first time, just like "this" in English (To jest samochód). Once the car is introduced, you refer back to it in the next sentence using its specific personal pronoun, which is on.
Do I always have to say on jest, or could I just say jest daleko?
You can absolutely drop the on and just say Jest daleko. Polish speakers usually drop subject pronouns because the context already makes it clear what you are talking about. The on is included in this sentence to help you practice matching pronouns to noun genders!
Does the verb jest change depending on whether it follows to or on?