Questions & Answers about Moja matka nie kupuje czasopisma.
Why is the word for magazine czasopisma instead of czasopismo?
The dictionary form is the neuter noun czasopismo. If the sentence were positive (My mother buys a magazine), the word would not change: Moja matka kupuje czasopismo. However, because of the word nie (not), the verb is negated. In Polish, negating a verb forces its direct object into the Genitive case. For neuter nouns ending in -o, the Genitive ending is -a, turning it into czasopisma.
Is matka the most common word for "mom" in Polish?
Matka translates directly to "mother" and can sound quite formal or even a bit detached. In everyday conversations, Polish people much prefer the word mama (mom/mum) because it is softer and more affectionate.
Does nie kupuje mean "does not buy" or "is not buying"?
It translates to both! Polish does not have a separate continuous tense like English does. Depending on the context, nie kupuje can mean a general habit ("she does not buy the magazine") or an action happening right now ("she is not buying the magazine").
Why is it moja matka and not mój matka?
Possessive words like "my" have to match the gender of the noun they describe. Because matka is a feminine noun, you must use the feminine form moja. If you were talking about your father (a masculine noun), you would use the masculine form mój (mój ojciec).