Breakdown of To jest nasz bagaż, a to jest wasz plecak.
to
this
być
to be
a
and / whereas (contrast)
nasz
our
Questions & Answers about To jest nasz bagaż, a to jest wasz plecak.
Why do we use nasz and wasz here instead of other forms like nasza or wasze?
The words for "our" and "your" have to match the gender of the noun they describe. Both bagaż (luggage) and plecak (backpack) are masculine nouns, so we use the basic masculine forms nasz and wasz. If we were talking about a feminine noun like kawa (coffee), it would be nasza kawa.
How do I know whether to use wasz or twój for "your" in this sentence?
You use wasz when the backpack belongs to more than one person, similar to saying "y'all's backpack". If the backpack belonged to just one person you were talking to, you would use twój.
Why does the sentence use a for "and" instead of i?
In Polish, i is used to simply add things together, but a is used to show a contrast or a shift in focus. Since we are contrasting our luggage with your backpack, a is the natural choice. It acts a bit like "while" or "and on the other hand".
The word to means "this", but shouldn't it change gender to match the masculine nouns bagaż and plecak?