Breakdown of Ta zupa jest ostrzejsza niż wczoraj.
być
to be
ta
this (f)
zupa
soup
wczoraj
yesterday
niż
than
ostry
sharp / spicy
Questions & Answers about Ta zupa jest ostrzejsza niż wczoraj.
How do we get ostrzejsza from the basic adjective for "spicy"?
The base dictionary form is ostry. To make an adjective comparative, we typically drop the -y and add -szy. However, because the stem ostr- ends in a cluster of consonants, we add -ejszy to make it easier to pronounce, giving us ostrzejszy. Finally, because zupa (soup) is a feminine noun, we must use the feminine comparative form, ostrzejsza.
Why do we use niż here instead of od for "than"?
In Polish, you can express "than" using either niż or od. While od is very common, it must be followed by a noun or pronoun in the Genitive case. Since wczoraj (yesterday) is an adverb and doesn't take noun cases, we have to use niż.
I thought ostry meant "sharp". Can it also mean "spicy"?
Yes! While the literal meaning of ostry is "sharp" (like a knife), it is also the standard Polish word for "spicy" or "hot" when talking about food.
Why is it Ta zupa instead of To zupa?
Because zupa is a feminine noun, the word for "this" attached to it must be the feminine ta. You only use the neuter to when describing a neuter noun (like to piwo - this beer) or when making a general "This is..." statement like "This is soup" (To jest zupa).
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