Questions & Answers about Ona zna japoński.
Why do we use zna here instead of wie or umie?
In Polish, there are three main verbs for "to know". We use znać (here as zna) when we are familiar with a noun: a person, a place, or a language. We use wiedzieć for knowing facts, and umieć for knowing how to do a skill.
Why is japoński written with a lowercase letter?
In Polish, adjectives are not capitalized, even when they refer to nationalities or countries. Because language names are technically adjectives (short for język japoński - the Japanese language), they are always written with lowercase letters.
Is japoński in the accusative case here? Why doesn't the ending change?
Yes, it is the direct object of zna, so it is in the accusative case. However, japoński acts as a masculine inanimate noun here. For masculine inanimate nouns and their adjectives, the accusative case form looks exactly the same as the basic dictionary form (nominative).
What is the difference between Ona zna japoński and Ona mówi po japońsku?
Ona zna japoński means "She knows Japanese," focusing on her knowledge of the language as a whole. Ona mówi po japońsku means "She speaks in Japanese." Both are natural and very common ways to express that someone can speak a language.
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