"Mam na imię Adam."
Translation:My name is Adam.
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Why is 'My first name is Adam' incorrect? Surely 'imię' refers to a first name and 'nazwisko' refers to a surname. At least that's the distinction on forms in Polish. Even if both words literally can translate as 'name,' isn't it more helpful to make it clear that when someone asks you for your 'imię' the person wants your first name, and when the person asks for 'nazwisko,' you're supposed to supply your family name?
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Polish speakers learning English also take this course, so it really shouldn't encourage something a native speaker would never say...
Craig842379 posted a question and I don't see that anyone answered it. I have the same question, so I will just copy and paste it here.
Does anyone know why 'Adam' following 'na' is in the nominitive case rather than the accusative? Is it a set expression? I only the understand preposition 'na' as being followed by nominitive or locative, and then not in the context of 'have'.
That's a good question. Adam is neither a subject nor a direct object here and it's also not connected to the preposition, since you could technically say "Adam mam na imię", although that would be very uncommon.
I would perhaps classify 'Adam' as a subject complement. And those oftentimes take the nominative case. Compare with:
Jestem Adam. - I'm Adam.
Nazywam się Adam Kowalski. - My name is Adam Kowalski.