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Using państwo and surnames.


stelingoThreads: 6
Posts: 14
Joined: Nov 19, 07 		  Jun 16, 09, 22:56 /  #
How would I say Mr and Mrs Kowalczyk using the word państwo?
Would it be państwo Kowalczykowie?
And if I wanted to say Mr and Mrs Kowalczyk aren't here would I say:
Nie ma państwa Kowalczyków?
gumishuThreads: 13
Posts: 3,596
Joined: Apr 6, 09 Pictures: 1 		Edited by: gumishu   Jun 16, 09, 22:59 /  #
yes - I guess you just wanted to get rid of any doubt - anyway you got good ear for Polish

(both of the examples you've given were correct)
KrzysztofThreads: 2
Posts: 1,146
Joined: Jul 26, 07 		  Jun 17, 09, 02:33 /  #
stelingo:
Nie ma państwa Kowalczyków?

probably this word order would be better:
Państwa Kowalczyków nie ma [w domu],

but it depends on the conversation context, for exemple, if you want to say that most people arrived at a meeting/gathering with the exception of Mr and Mrs Kowalczyk, then the word order suggested by you is more natural:
(Przyszli prawie wszyscy: państwo Nowakowie, Kowalscy, Wiśniewscy, nie ma [tylko] [państwa] Kowalczyków i Woźniaków.)
stelingoThreads: 6
Posts: 14
Joined: Nov 19, 07 		  Jun 17, 09, 23:56 /  #
Thanks for your input.
mafketisThreads: 15
Posts: 1,824
Joined: Mar 31, 08 		  Jun 18, 09, 00:44 /  #
Of course, you usually don't actually say państwo in the third person, especially if the context makes it clear you're talking about a married couple: "Przyszli prawie wszyscy: Nowakowie, Kowalscy, Wiśniewscy, nie ma tylko Kowalczyków i Woźniaków."

Sounds more natural to me (though I'm not a native speaker).
znafca   Jun 18, 09, 07:39 /  #
However, you have to remember that it ain't work with everything.
Some names ain't change when it comes to PRZYPADKI.

Even in this case you can say: Nie ma państwa Kowalczyk.

It is very difficult subject and many Poles also have problem with that.
I wish you good luck in learning!
SwiteziankaThreads: -
Posts: 525
Joined: Jun 17, 08 		  Jun 18, 09, 14:59 /  #
znafca:
Even in this case you can say: Nie ma państwa Kowalczyk.

B.u.l.l.s.h.i.t. You can't say that.
Kamil_plThreads: -
Posts: 69
Joined: Dec 24, 08 		  Jun 21, 09, 23:20 /  #
Switezianka:
B.u.l.l.s.h.i.t. You can't say that.

LOL. 90% of Poles would say it like that. And I'm one of them. Nie ma państwa Kowalczyków sounds wierd. You can say Nie ma Kowalczyków, or Nie ma państwa Kowalczyk.
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