Question 1

Why is the personal ending attached to gdyby instead of the verb?

Accepted Answer

In Polish conditional sentences, the personal ending attaches directly to the conjunction gdyby (if). That is why we see gdybyś (if you) followed by the 3rd person past tense form zaproponował, instead of the regular past tense zaproponowałeś. The -ś on the conjunction tells us who is doing the action.

Question 2

Does zaproponował tell us the gender of the person being spoken to?

Accepted Answer

Yes, it does. Even though the 'you' ending (-ś) has moved to gdyby, the verb still must agree with the gender of the subject. Because it is zaproponował (masculine) and not zaproponowała (feminine), we know the speaker is talking to a man.

Question 3

Let's break down the word zgodzilibyśmy. How is it put together?

Accepted Answer

It is the conditional form of zgodzić się (to agree). It starts with the masculine-personal past tense form zgodzili (we agreed, involving at least one man). Then we add the conditional particle by (would) and the 1st person plural ending -śmy (we). Altogether, it means 'we would agree'.

Question 4

What case is lepsze warunki and why?

Accepted Answer

It is in the accusative case because it is the direct object of the action (what is being proposed). The noun warunek (condition) is an inanimate object, so its plural form warunki takes the non-masculine-personal adjective ending, making it lepsze warunki.

Zgodzilibyśmy się, gdybyś zaproponował lepsze warunki.

Breakdown of Zgodzilibyśmy się, gdybyś zaproponował lepsze warunki.

Questions & Answers about Zgodzilibyśmy się, gdybyś zaproponował lepsze warunki.

Learn Zgodzilibyśmy się, gdybyś zaproponował lepsze warunki and more in Polish