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Dlaczego/Czemu - What is what?

cjjcThreads: 37 Posts: 463 Joined: Jul 26, 08	Feb 9, 09, 16:29 / #
Ok so cjjc is back with one of his silly questions that is probably beyond his grasp of grammar! My questions are: There are 2 words for why is Polish correct? 'Dlaczego' and 'Czemu' I would like to know the difference. Should you use 'czemu' in the negative sense almost like 'tego' versus 'to'? Excuse my ignorance but lately I have been studying English grammar in order for me to be able to learn Polish better so I may be a little ;) out of touch.

MarekThreads: 4 Posts: 1,120 Joined: Feb 15, 07	Feb 9, 09, 16:57 / #
'Czemu?', derived from the similar Russian 'Poczemu?' (Why?) is colloquial Polish for standard 'Dlaczego?', and is strictly familiar!

cjjcThreads: 37 Posts: 463 Joined: Jul 26, 08	Feb 9, 09, 17:08 / #
Marek: 'Czemu?', derived from the similar Russian 'Poczemu?' (Why?) is colloquial Polish for standard 'Dlaczego?', and is strictly familiar! Excellent, thank you Marek. :)

osiolThreads: 59 Posts: 4,714 Joined: Jul 25, 07	Edited by: osiol Feb 9, 09, 18:18 / #
Po co? ...or is it Bo co? Czemu is dative (I think) - To what [reason]? Dlaczego looks a bit more genitive (possibly) - Of what [reason]? Weird thing is that I was going to ask the very same question on the very same day. Thanks for saving me the bother, Mr. Cjjccjcjcjjjc.

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07	Feb 9, 09, 18:21 / #
Po co, za co, na co, you have many Osioł.

osiolThreads: 59 Posts: 4,714 Joined: Jul 25, 07	Feb 9, 09, 18:24 / #
I had learnt "dlaczego", but my ladyfriend always uses "czemu". She actually usually says "czemu why?" I often reply to "dlaczego" with "dlaczego nie?" Is "Czemu nie?" good as well?

cjjcThreads: 37 Posts: 463 Joined: Jul 26, 08	Feb 9, 09, 18:25 / #
osiol: Weird thing is that I was going to ask the very same question on the very same day. Thanks for saving me the bother, Mr. Cjjccjcjcjjjc. No problem, I was writing something in Polish and I suddenly thought: Which should I use? Now I know.

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07	Feb 9, 09, 19:10 / #
Yes, czemu nie or even jak nie? Jak nie is more how not? Still, very similar

osiolThreads: 59 Posts: 4,714 Joined: Jul 25, 07	Feb 9, 09, 19:13 / #
Seanus: jak nie? As long as I don't sound like I'm saying "jagnię".

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07	Feb 9, 09, 19:16 / #
Well, quite ;) Poles love saying something+what together. Po co, za co, na co etc. Also, look at dlaczego. Dla is for and czego is what, for what?

SashaThreads: 2 Posts: 1,597 Joined: Apr 19, 08	Feb 9, 09, 19:26 / #
Interesting... So I wonder if is this relevant to ask "Dliachego"? when somebody said "I'm leaving for Poland" and what would it mean? I'm asking you because in Russian questions "dlia chego" and "(po)chemu" imply a bit different things. Ex: 1) - I'm leaving for Poland. - Dlia chego? (here that means what would be the purpose of your trip, what would you like to take from there) - I want to study Polish (you name the purpose) 2) - I'm leaving for Poland. - Pochemu? (the meaning here is "why in the world are you leaving? don't you like Russia?") - I'm sick&tired of Putin and this police government (here you name your reasons to leave Russia or any other country for Poland). Is that the same in Polish I wonder? This could shatter I think some more light on the question of yours, cjjc. ;)

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07	Feb 9, 09, 21:01 / #
Yes, dlaczego works in that way. It basically means why and for what purpose. Czemu is much the same, just used between friends and familiar company.

cjjcThreads: 37 Posts: 463 Joined: Jul 26, 08	Feb 9, 09, 21:30 / #
Ok so, I'm thinking in English here but... I imagine Dlaczego to be the typical Polish version of English: Why? I'm thinking that Czemu is kind of like the English version of Eh? but without the exclamation, you know in a kind of friendly colloquial way. :) Hmm maybe.....

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07	Feb 9, 09, 21:32 / #
Nah, just an informal way of saying why, nothing more/nothing less. Or.....nah, nothing ;)

Lir	Feb 9, 09, 21:35 / #
cjjc: Dlaczego Or why is that ? cjjc: Czemu More direct maybe like just . Why ?

DaveyThreads: 17 Posts: 436 Joined: Jun 29, 07	Feb 9, 09, 21:52 / #
I thought dlaczego and czemu were interrchangeable although I use dlaczego a lot more, what are some examples of when you can use one and not the other?

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07	Feb 9, 09, 21:57 / #
They are basically synonyms. One is just more formal. I love the way folk drag out threads.

DaveyThreads: 17 Posts: 436 Joined: Jun 29, 07	Feb 9, 09, 22:01 / #
Seanus: I love the way folk drag out threads. I agree, it just ends up confusing people in the long run

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07	Feb 9, 09, 22:03 / #
Dlaczego? Sorry, czemu? ;)

Easy_TerranThreads: 4 Posts: 473 Joined: Mar 31, 08	Edited by: Easy_Terran Feb 9, 09, 22:09 / #
I would say 'dlaczego' and 'czemu' are interchangable and mean exactly same thing. This is the way I and everyone I know use 'em. Edit: typo

ladykangarooThreads: - Posts: 187 Joined: Jan 2, 09	Edited by: ladykangaroo Feb 9, 09, 22:43 / #
Seanus: They are basically synonyms. One is just more formal. That's right, the meaning is the same and one is more formal. "Czemu" is considered a bit rude, an evidence of lack of manners. Well bred ladies / gentlemen do not ask "czemu?" or "co?", they use "dlaczego" and "proszę? / słucham?" instead :]

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07	Feb 9, 09, 22:52 / #
The best posting yet on this topic. I agree 100%

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