Word
Nasz ojciec ma pięćdziesiąt lat.
Meaning
Our father is fifty years old.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Questions & Answers about Nasz ojciec ma pięćdziesiąt lat.
Why does the Polish sentence use ma (has) instead of a word for "is"?
In Polish, you don't say that someone "is" a certain age. Instead, you say they "have" years. Since we are talking about our father (he), we use ma (he has).
Why is the word for "years" lat here instead of lata?
In Polish, the word for "years" changes depending on the number. For 2, 3, and 4 (and numbers ending in them), you use lata. But for 5 and above, like pięćdziesiąt (50), you must use the form lat.
How can I remember the long word pięćdziesiąt (fifty)?
It is easier if you break it down. It is made of two parts: pięć (five) and dziesiąt (tens). So pięćdziesiąt literally means "five tens".
Why is the word for "our" nasz and not nasza?
Nasz means "our". Because the word it describes, ojciec (father), is a masculine noun, we have to use the masculine form nasz. If it were our mother, it would be nasza matka.