"Jesz kanapkę?"
Translation:Are you eating a sandwich?
24 CommentsThis discussion is locked.
Because it is Polish and we have cases(7). Usually only subject of the sentence is in nominative case( the dictionary one), only the "TO" sentences are exceptions.
Eat something needs accusative, ( it is usual case for direct objects)
You can see declension of the noun in wiktionary ( accusative is the case 4) https://pl.wiktionary.org/wiki/kanapka https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/kanapka#Declension
You may have not noticed this before, because neuter nouns and masculine not animated nouns have accusative=nominative.
"kanapke" is not an existing word, "kanapkę" is the Accusative form of "kanapka".
Yes. That's a rather strange question in English, but technically it's also a translation.
I have no idea why I wrote that comment almost 4 years ago. "Do you eat sandwich" without an article clearly violates basic grammar rules of English, and according to what I see in the database, it was never accepted here, not even for a moment...
I've thought about this as well, but in English, people would ask «do you like sandwich?» instead of «do you eat sandwich?». I don't believe it's grammatically incorrect, but it's not used.
Typically in English, people will pluralise the word sandwich. They also have different meanings, as someone may eat something but still not like them. But this is a Polish course, so its all academic anyway :)
it depends on the food item: for example, you would ask, "Do you eat/like pizza?" or "Do you eat/like pork?"
however, sandwich would need to be plural. "Do you like/eat sandwiches?"
and yes, both forms are used, especially in questions like the above or in the negative—I don't like mushrooms (implying I can, but don't enjoy the experience), but I don't eat ham (implying an allergy, perhaps a religious objection, or other dietary restriction).
Conversely, if someone is on a diet or has developed an allergy they didn't used to have, they might have liked something but not eat it any longer—"I like bacon, but now I've gone vegetarian, I don't eat it."
…I have no idea how you would ask any of these questions or make any of these statements in Polish.
The best translation of Present Simple "to eat" is a habitual verb "jadać", although normal "jeść" is okay as well.
So for example "Nie jadam szynki" means that I do not eat ham at all, possibly for the reasons you mentioned.
"Lubię bekon, ale [przeszedłem/przeszłam] na wegetarianizm, więc już go nie jadam".
No, that wouldn't work. "Chcesz kanapkę?" (Do you want a sandwich?) seems like the easiest way.
432
So, in Polish, does making a question work the same way as in Spanish? Like just changing the "." (dot) in the end of the sentence to "?" (question mark)?
Yes. You can start a yes/no question with "Czy": "Czy jesz kanapkę?", but you don't have to.
Why "a sandwich"? Phrase doesnt imply a specific one, it could be general sandwich as well.
"a sandwich" is the standard for "general sandwich" in English. English demands articles where Polish (and most Slavic languages) does not--"Are you eating sandwich" is not a complete sentence in English.
Do you mean "the sandwich" is not accepted? - please report it.
Or do you mean you believe "Are you eating sandwich" should be accepted? Are you sure? I think "general sandwich" is "a sandwich", "specific sandwich" is "the sandwich".
But if you are native English speaker and are sure what you wrote is correct in standard (British or American) English please report it.
