się - explanation needed ?

danyuldThreads: 1 Posts: 2 Joined: Apr 25, 11 ♂	Apr 26, 11, 01:29 #1
Hi - new here and will post more, just starting my self learning journey of this language from here in Canada. (I'm English though) Could someone please explain the useage of "się" to me... I seem to find it used in sentences with no direct translation as though it modifies the sentence to another meaning... ? apologies if this is very simple, Im confused by it a little..... Many thanks

z_dariusThreads: 22 Posts: 5,091 Joined: Oct 18, 07 ♂	Apr 26, 11, 02:36 #2
danyuld: apologies if this is very simple actually, it can be pretty exotic to foreigners. See here - page 70, Reflexive Verbs

chazaThreads: 49 Posts: 266 Joined: Dec 21, 09 ♂	Apr 26, 11, 12:03 #3
hi there się, is the reflex part of the verb, it basically means ' myself, yourself, oneself. as in zmyć się = clean myself lubię się = i like myself i am a student also so im sure someone will correct me, but that is the basic meaning. chaza

pgtxThreads: 49 Posts: 6,327 Joined: Feb 14, 09 MEMBER ♀	Apr 26, 11, 15:30 #4
chaza: zmyć się ? can you please use it in a sentence?

z_dariusThreads: 22 Posts: 5,091 Joined: Oct 18, 07 ♂	Apr 26, 11, 16:12 #5
pgtx: can you please use it in a sentence? Bylem juz niezle nalany wiec zdecydowalem zmyc sie do domu. zmyc sie means something along the lines of "get lost"

pgtxThreads: 49 Posts: 6,327 Joined: Feb 14, 09 MEMBER ♀	Apr 26, 11, 16:15 #6
z_darius: zmyc sie means something along the lines of "get lost" exactly... and not: chaza: zmyć się = clean myself

alexw68	Apr 26, 11, 16:20 #7
z_darius: zmyc sie means something along the lines of "get lost" True - gotta love those prefixes. But myć się -> idź się myć, 'go and wash' is OK, right? (No z at the beginning)

pgtxThreads: 49 Posts: 6,327 Joined: Feb 14, 09 MEMBER ♀	Apr 26, 11, 16:21 #8
alexw68: (No z at the beginning) yes...

♂

Apr 26, 11, 16:31 #9

alexw68:

But myć się -> idź się myć, 'go and wash' is OK, right? (No z at the beginning)

zmyc sie has nothing to do with cleanliness, it's a slang expression, much like "palic gume" (burn the rubber , as the rubber of the shoe sole meaning "to get lost").

zmyc (without the reflexive sie) means "wash away" or simply "wash" as in to wash the dishes. The difference is that of the emphasis:

zmyc - remove the dirt (becoming clean is implied)
myc - to wash (removing dirt is implied)

boletusThreads: 47 Posts: 1,095 Joined: Apr 13, 11 ♂	Apr 26, 11, 16:38 #10
alexw68: But myć się -> idź się myć, 'go and wash' is OK, right? Or more common: "umyj się!", perfective aspect.

gumishuThreads: 17 Posts: 3,943 Joined: Apr 6, 09 ♂	Apr 26, 11, 18:54 #11
there once was a thread on the 'się' pronoun as far as I can remember but I can't find it anywhere on the forums now

♂

Edited by: danyuld Apr 26, 11, 19:15 #12

Many thanks indeed, I had seen the grammer workbook before, but hadnt noticed the Się section....

Clipped the sections and posted here - didnt see that I cant do that in the rules but happy to remove if required.

danyuldThreads: 1 Posts: 2 Joined: Apr 25, 11 ♂	Apr 26, 11, 19:25 #13
I guess to correctly reference the above material = (c) OSCAR E SWAN University of Pittsburgh 2003

cinekThreads: 1 Posts: 264 Joined: Nov 16, 07 ♂	Apr 27, 11, 09:38 #14
z_darius: zmyc sie has nothing to do with cleanliness Of course it has. e.g: Ta plama nie chce się zmyć. Cinek

POLAND . The Unofficial Guide	Unanswered \| Archives
POLAND . The Unofficial Guide	Poland for Expats and Tourists	Witamy, Guest \| PF Members \| Gold Members

Home \| Unanswered \| Archives \| Random \| Statistics	Time in Poland: 16:50 / May 26
About Us \| Contact Us \| Rules, Privacy \| Poland Advertising	© 2005-12 PolishForums.com