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Questions & Answers about Jest dziesięć stopni.
Why does this sentence use stopni instead of the basic plural form?
After the number five (pięć) and higher, Polish requires the noun to be in the genitive (possessive) plural case. Since we have dziesięć (ten), the noun changes to stopni. For numbers 2, 3, and 4, you would use the standard plural: dwa stopnie.
What is the dictionary form of the word stopni?
The singular form is stopień (degree). When it changes to the genitive plural, the letter e drops out, leaving stopni. This disappearing vowel is a very common pattern in Polish nouns.
Why is there no word for 'it' before jest?
English requires a filler subject for weather, like 'it' in 'it is'. Polish does not use these filler subjects for weather or time. You simply use the verb jest (is) all by itself.
How would I say this in the past tense ('It was ten degrees')?
You would say było dziesięć stopni. In Polish, whenever you use a number from five upwards with a genitive plural noun, the past tense verb must take the neuter singular form (było), rather than a plural form.