Word
Jak się nazywasz?
Meaning
What is your name?
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of Jak się nazywasz?
jak się nazywasz
what is your name (informal)
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Questions & Answers about Jak się nazywasz?
Why does this sentence use "Jak" (how) instead of the Polish word for "what"?
In Polish, you literally ask "How do you call yourself?" rather than "What is your name?". That is why we use Jak (how) instead of Co (what).
What does the word "się" do in this sentence?
The word się is a reflexive pronoun that means "oneself" or "yourself". Since the base verb nazywać means "to name" or "to call", adding się changes it to mean "to call yourself". Polish uses this little word very often!
Where is the word for "you"?
Polish often drops subject pronouns like ty (you) because the verb ending already tells us who is doing the action. The -sz ending on nazywasz makes it clear that "you" are the one being asked.
Is this a formal or informal way to ask someone's name?
This specific phrase is informal. You would use it with people your own age, children, or in casual settings. If you are speaking formally to an adult you do not know, you would use a different phrase involving Pan (sir) or Pani (madam).