Breakdown of Jest zero stopni i pada śnieg.
być
to be
i
and
śnieg
snow
padać
to rain / to fall (of snow, hail)
stopień
degree (dziesięć stopni)
zero
zero
Questions & Answers about Jest zero stopni i pada śnieg.
Why is the word for degrees stopni here instead of the normal plural stopnie?
In Polish, the number zero requires the noun that follows it to be in the genitive plural case. You can think of it as saying 'zero of degrees'. The normal plural is stopnie, but the genitive plural form is stopni. This is the exact same grammar rule you use for numbers five and higher.
Where is the word for 'it' in Jest zero stopni?
Polish does not use a dummy subject like 'it' for weather expressions, times, or general states. You simply start with the verb jest (is), and the 'it' is naturally understood from the context.
Why does Polish use pada śnieg instead of a specific verb for 'snowing'?
Polish describes weather like rain and snow by stating what is falling. The verb padać means 'to fall'. Because there is no single commonly used verb for 'to snow', Polish literally says 'snow falls' (pada śnieg).
If I just say pada on its own, will people know I mean it is snowing?
No, if you use the word pada completely by itself, Polish speakers will automatically assume you mean it is raining. To talk about snow, you must explicitly include the word for snow and say pada śnieg.
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