Breakdown of Pies szybko obiegł tę dziurę.
pies
dog
ten
this (m)
szybko
quickly
dziura
hole
obiec
to run around
Questions & Answers about Pies szybko obiegł tę dziurę.
Why does obiegł only have one "b" if it comes from ob- + biec?
The prefix for bypassing is ob-. When attached to biec (to run), Polish drops the double "b" to make it easier to pronounce. The infinitive becomes obiec, and the third-person masculine past tense is obiegł.
Why is tę dziurę in the Accusative case instead of using a preposition for "around"?
Verbs of motion with the ob- prefix (meaning to bypass or go around) act as transitive verbs. This means the obstacle you are going around becomes a direct object in the Accusative case. You don't need a separate preposition because the "around" meaning is already built into the verb's prefix.
Why is the word for "this" written as tę instead of tą?
Tę is the standard Accusative form of the feminine pronoun ta (this), matching the Accusative noun dziurę. In everyday spoken Polish, you will often hear native speakers say tą dziurę, but tę is the grammatically correct form to use in writing and formal speech.
Where does the "g" in obiegł come from if the infinitive is obiec?
Learn Pies szybko obiegł tę dziurę and more in Polish
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free