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"Dzień dobry! Mam na imię Elizabeth." - Is my grammar correct? (A VERY basic paragraph!)


posts: 20

elizabethLThreads: 3
Posts: 17
Joined: Jun 14, 11 ♀ 		 Jul 6, 11, 01:54    #1
I'm trying to teach myself Polish. I've only been doing so for, at most, 3 weeks, so I am still in the very basic stages. I am using books from my public library and some Youtube videos as reference. I compiled this little "biography" about myself using the terms I have learned. I'd like somebody to check it and let me know if my grammar is correct! Thanks!

Dzień dobry! Mam na imię Elizabeth. Mam osiemnascie lat. Jestem z Ameryki. Lubię Polska i język polski! Równiez, lubię cyztać, pisać i robić zakupy. Moja ulubiona kolor jest różowy.

That's about as far as I was able to get :(
I tried to construct the sentence "I hope to learn Polish" but I am having difficulty. Any help?
BzibziohThreads: 6
Posts: 3,657
Joined: Oct 15, 08 ♀ [Suspended] 		Edited by: Bzibzioh  Jul 6, 11, 02:08    #2
Mam na imię Elizabeth. Very good
Mam osiemnascie lat. Mam osiemnacie lat
Jestem z Ameryki. Basic but correct.
Lubię Polska i język polski! Lubię Polskę i język polski.
Równiez, lubię cyztać, pisać i robić zakupy. Lubię też czytać, pisać i robić zakupy.
Moja ulubiona kolor jest różowy. Mój ulubiony kolor jest różowy (theoretically correct but sounds bit silly)
elizabethLThreads: 3
Posts: 17
Joined: Jun 14, 11 ♀ 		 Jul 6, 11, 02:14    #3
Thank you very much, Bzibzioh!
urszulaThreads: 2
Posts: 362
Joined: Aug 31, 07 ♀ 		 Jul 6, 11, 02:19    #4
elizabethL:
robić zakupy

This means "getting groceries"
"Going shopping" would more likely be: "chodzić na zakupy"
elizabethLThreads: 3
Posts: 17
Joined: Jun 14, 11 ♀ 		Edited by: elizabethL  Jul 6, 11, 02:22    #5
urszula
urszula:
This means "getting groceries"
"Going shopping" would more likely be: "chodzić na zakupy"


Thanks for fixing that for me! I appreciate the help
Peter23Threads: 1
Posts: 9
Joined: Jun 21, 11  Pictures: 2 ♂ 		 Jul 6, 11, 02:34    #6
Very good gramma :) Great to read Your words that You like polish :)
elizabethLThreads: 3
Posts: 17
Joined: Jun 14, 11 ♀ 		 Jul 6, 11, 03:08    #7
Peter23:
Very good gramma :) Great to read Your words that You like polish :)


Thank you so much for the encouragement!! I hope to speak Polish fluently one day :)
PennBoyThreads: 157
Posts: 3,441
Joined: Dec 7, 08  Pictures: 2 ♂ 		 Jul 6, 11, 03:26    #8
One thing to remember Liz Polish grammar is hard for a non speaker the suffix at the end of words changes depending when you're referring to a male or female, past/present/future, a person or a thing. If you practice you'll get the hang of it.
elizabethL:
Moja ulubiona kolor jest różowy.

Moj ulubiony kolor jest różowy (my favorite color is pink)
you can say Moja ulubiona in a sentence like this Moja ulubiona piosenka to S&M (my favorite song is S&M)
skysoulmateThreads: 41
Posts: 3,039
Joined: Jan 10, 10 ♂ 		 Jul 6, 11, 06:00    #9
Bzibzioh:
Mam na imię Elizabeth. Very good



Or "Mam na imię Elżbieta albo [czy] Elizabeth po angielsku."

(My name is Elżbieta or [that is] Elizabeth in English)

Good luck to you Ms. E. :-))
lovely amy  Jul 6, 11, 11:56    #10
Bzibzioh:
Mój ulubiony kolor jest różowy


Mój ulubiony kolor to różowy.
or:
Moim ulubionym kolorem jest różowy.
BzibziohThreads: 6
Posts: 3,657
Joined: Oct 15, 08 ♀ [Suspended] 		 Jul 6, 11, 15:13    #11
lovely amy:
Mój ulubiony kolor to różowy.
or:
Moim ulubionym kolorem jest różowy.

Yes, of course it's way better but she is at the beginners level so I left it.
elizabethLThreads: 3
Posts: 17
Joined: Jun 14, 11 ♀ 		 Jul 6, 11, 22:44    #12
PennBoy:
One thing to remember Liz Polish grammar is hard for a non speaker the suffix at the end of words changes depending when you're referring to a male or female, past/present/future, a person or a thing. If you practice you'll get the hang of it.


I can already tell, even in the early stages of learning Polish, that this will be a struggle!!
elizabethLThreads: 3
Posts: 17
Joined: Jun 14, 11 ♀ 		 Jul 7, 11, 22:43    #13
lovely amy:
Moim ulubionym kolorem jest różowy.


Could someone explain why it has to be in this particular tense? It is because "kolor" is masculine?
PennBoyThreads: 157
Posts: 3,441
Joined: Dec 7, 08  Pictures: 2 ♂ 		 Jul 7, 11, 23:00    #14
elizabethL:
It is because "kolor" is masculine?

No. Because you're going into detail not simply stating or pointing out a pink color.
Moim ulubionym kolorem jest różowy-My favorite color is pink
kolor różowy- color pink
skysoulmateThreads: 41
Posts: 3,039
Joined: Jan 10, 10 ♂ 		Edited by: skysoulmate  Jul 8, 11, 01:30    #15
elizabethL:
Could someone explain why it has to be in this particular tense? It is because "kolor" is masculine?


I was born in Poland but moved out as a kid. So I've had to relearn Polish and I've given up on the "why's" and focus on the "just because." :))

Good luck to you. ;)


Oh, and from a different thread, if you have access to an iPhone/iPad or just a regular computer (which obviously you must have :) this is what I posted for someone else.

How can i teach my child Polish language? (I'm Russian, my wife is Polish)

skysoulmate  Yesterday, 01:07 / #26  
Rosyjska (well, technically it should be Rosjanin :) - your daughter might be too young for an iPod (or iPhone) but I think you can use this program from a regular computer too. Check out http://innovativelanguage.com/learn-polish. I have the Mandarin and the Japanese version on my iPhone and I love it. I actually bought it on survivorphrases.com but the website doesn't come up anymore?? I think innovative language bought them because the iPhone app is still showing as "survivorphrases".

They use simple phrases and a pretty logical layout. Probably "too adult aka boring" for your daughter but it'd help you to learn Polish for sure (and your wife to learn Russian ;).

You might want to remind your wife that it takes two to tango, sounds like she's more into dancing ballet - solo. ;)

Good luck to you and congrats on being a great and a thoughtful dad!
--------
Here's the app store link

Polish - http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/survivalphrases-polish/id363657013?mt=8

Russian - http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/survivalphrases-russian/id362554607?mt= 8

It costs ~$20 per language, I don't get any kickbacks from them, and the audiobook version was cheaper ~$12 I think but this is a good way to "hear" the language being spoken. Rosetta is probably a much better, more in depth program but costs more.
rybnikThreads: 29
Posts: 1,232
Joined: Jan 16, 11  Pictures: 4 ♂ 		 Jul 8, 11, 01:56    #16
elizabethL:
Could someone explain why it has to be in this particular tense? It is because "kolor" is masculine?

Polish grammar is a very similar to Latin in that it's all about the verb. Each Polish verb carries its specific case. In the example the verb "jest"(is/to be) takes the instrumental.
elizabethLThreads: 3
Posts: 17
Joined: Jun 14, 11 ♀ 		 Jul 8, 11, 03:46    #17
rybnik:
Polish grammar is a very similar to Latin in that it's all about the verb. Each Polish verb carries its specific case. In the example the verb "jest"(is/to be) takes the instrumental.


So then do the forms of 'favorite' and 'color' have to match the verb case?
rybnikThreads: 29
Posts: 1,232
Joined: Jan 16, 11  Pictures: 4 ♂ 		 Jul 8, 11, 04:11    #18
elizabethL:
So then do the forms of 'favorite' and 'color' have to match the verb case?

yes. The grammar is demanding BUT it certainly is not impossible :) Good luck! Keep asking questions. The PF community is very helpful. I've had many of my grammar questions answered here.
elizabethLThreads: 3
Posts: 17
Joined: Jun 14, 11 ♀ 		 Jul 8, 11, 04:29    #19
rybnik:
yes. The grammar is demanding BUT it certainly is not impossible :) Good luck! Keep asking questions. The PF community is very helpful. I've had many of my grammar questions answered here.


Hahaha, ok! Thanks so much for the help. I look forward to learning more Polish, even though it is a very daunting task! I think I can do it, though!
skysoulmateThreads: 41
Posts: 3,039
Joined: Jan 10, 10 ♂ 		 Jul 8, 11, 04:32    #20
elizabethL:
Hahaha, ok! Thanks so much for the help. I look forward to learning more Polish, even though it is a very daunting task! I think I can do it, though!


Of course you can. I was being facetious in my earlier post. :)


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