Breakdown of Jak szybko można przebiec przez ten teren?
ten
this (m)
jak
how
szybko
quickly
przez
through, across
można
one can, it is possible / allowed (+ infinitive)
teren
terrain
przebiec
to run across
Questions & Answers about Jak szybko można przebiec przez ten teren?
Why do we use przebiec przez here instead of just biec przez?
The prefix prze- added to biec (to run) creates the perfective verb przebiec, which focuses on completing the action of running across something. In Polish, prze- motion verbs are almost always paired with the preposition przez (through/across). If you used biec przez (imperfective), you would be talking about the ongoing process of running, rather than the completed goal of making it to the other side.
Why doesn't ten teren change its ending if the preposition przez requires the Accusative case?
It actually is in the Accusative case! The noun teren (terrain/area) is a masculine inanimate object. For masculine inanimate nouns (as well as neuter nouns), the Accusative case looks exactly the same as the basic Nominative case, so ten teren doesn't change its spelling.
The English translation says "can you", but there is no word for "you" in the Polish sentence. Why is that?
The word można is an impersonal expression meaning "it is possible" or "one can". Polish frequently uses można to make general statements or ask general questions where English naturally uses a generic "you". Literally, the sentence is asking "How fast is it possible to run across this terrain?"
Why is przebiec in its infinitive (dictionary) form here?
It is because of the word można. In Polish, impersonal helper words like można (one can), trzeba (one must), or warto (it is worth) are always directly followed by a verb in the infinitive.
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