"Do you drink vodka?" (generally, not NOW) equals "pijesz wódke?" in Polish?

today i was talking with a friend (on facebook). usually when i speak polish, i "think" in english.

i wanted to ask: "do you drink vodka?" (generally, not NOW)

as far as my polish knowledge is concerned, i could ask it this way:

pijesz wodke?

but then i thought they'd ask me "teraz? czy ogolnie?"

cause in english there are 2 forms?

are you drinking vodka? (now)
do you drink vodka? (generally)

what will be the polish equivalent of these 2 sentences?

"pijesz wódkę?"- both versions . that's why they would ask (generally or now)
but you can also ask " pijasz wódkę?" and then it's asking someone if he drinks ( generally, not now) :) so to sum up -

pijesz wódkę? ( now and generally)
pijasz wódkę? ( only generally)

If u put a bottle of vodka on the table and say "Pijesz wódké?", you would refere to the present tense but if u r in circumstances where there's no vodka (in sight and noone is offering u some), the question would mean if u drink generally.

Those are differences of aspect in Modern English. Some time ago the English language was like other European languages in this respect.

For example:

Whither goest thou? Merchant of Venice
Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. The King James Bible

So Czy pijesz wódkę? do not differentiate present and simple aspect of the Modern English.

Czy pijasz wódkę is so-called frequentative, so it translates to Do you drink vodka from time to time?

If you want to propose somebody to drink vodka, then simply ask Czy napijesz się wódki?


Sorry, I meant progressive and simple aspects.

your examples from Shakespeare and the bible are completely irrelevant to your point aren't they?

They may be helpful in understanding aspects of Modern English - which are particular to this language.

Without too much philosophising you can always ask: Vodka, eh?

they are nothing to do with what you were talking about which was simple and progressive I think!
or did you just feel a bit smart mentioning the King James Bible and Shakespeare and thought that would blind people to their total irrelevance!!

yes just shout VODKA and bang the bottle on the table. You will soon find out if they drink or not!

I just wanted to say that are you drinking vodka?, which is question in progressive aspect and do you drink vodka? in simple aspect are innovative in the English itself (only in its modern version as examples show) and peculiar among European languages.

The differentiation between simple and progressive aspects dates back to early modern English since examples given are from the late sixteenth, early seventeenth centuries.