Questions & Answers about Uważajcie, bo ten pies nie jest spokojny!
Why does the sentence use uważajcie instead of just uważaj?
The word uważajcie is the plural command form of the verb uważać (to watch out). You use it when warning two or more people. If you were speaking to just one person, you would use the singular command uważaj.
Why do we use ten before pies?
Because pies (dog) is a masculine noun. In Polish, the word for 'this' changes to match the gender of the noun. We use ten for masculine nouns, while ta is for feminine and to is for neuter. This is also why the adjective at the end is the masculine spokojny.
Is bo the only way to say 'because' in Polish?
You might also know the word ponieważ, which also means 'because'. However, bo is much shorter and more common in everyday spoken Polish. In a sudden warning like this one, bo is definitely the most natural choice.
Why is nie placed in front of jest rather than in front of spokojny?
In Polish, the word nie (no/not) usually goes directly before the verb it negates. Since the sentence is saying that the dog 'is not', you have to put nie right before the verb jest.