Breakdown of Idziemy na uniwersytet pieszo.
iść
to go
na
on, at / to (motion toward) / for (a meal) / for (waiting for)
pieszo
on foot
uniwersytet
university (m)
Questions & Answers about Idziemy na uniwersytet pieszo.
Why do we use idziemy here instead of jedziemy?
Idziemy comes from the verb iść, which specifically means going somewhere on foot. You would use jedziemy (from jechać) if you were going by car, bus, train, or bike.
If idziemy already means we are walking, why do we need to add pieszo at the end?
You do not strictly need it! Idziemy na uniwersytet already means you are walking there. Adding pieszo (on foot) just emphasizes how you are getting there, which is useful if someone expects you to take the bus or drive.
Why do we use the preposition na instead of do for going to the university?
Normally, do is used when going to a building. However, uniwersytet is a common exception in Polish. You always use na when going to the university, just like going to the post office or the market.
Did the word uniwersytet change its ending here?
No, it looks exactly like its dictionary form, but it is actually in the Accusative case because it is the destination of your movement. For non-living masculine nouns like uniwersytet, the Accusative case form is completely identical to the basic dictionary form.
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