"I cannot buy everything."
Translation:Nie mogę kupować wszystkiego.
7 Comments
Two translations required in the multiple choice: "Nie mogę kupować wszystkiego" and "Nie mogę kupić wszystkiego. What's the difference here?
"Nie mogę kupić wszystkiego" = I cannot buy everything right now. Quite possibly, you are not able to buy at once everything that you were supposed to buy.
"Nie mogę kupować wszystkiego" = I cannot buy everything - regularly, from time to time, etc. Like when your wife wants new jewellery every week, and you just cannot buy every single item that Tiffany's adding to their catalogue.
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Good morning Jellei. That is a very good explanation! Can you tell us a few more examples (verbs)!?
Well, two years further on, I believe I have a reasonable understanding of the difference between Perfective and Imperfective verbs. You can, generally speaking, look up a verb on Wiktionary, and if it has a (Im)perfective partner, it will be listed.
For example, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/kupi%C4%87 looks up "kupić" and the line "kupić pf (imperfective kupować)" appears in the entry.
Another example, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/pisa%C4%87#Polish looks up "pisać" and the entry shows the line "pisać impf (perfective napisać)".
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Why can't I use 'umiem' instead of 'moge' to describe 'can' in this sentence?
You can, but it would change the meaning.
umieć - is about learned ability
móc - is about physical ability, or being allowed to do something.
So nie umiem kupować= assumes buying is an ability that other learned, and you did not. (Like choosing right vegetables/meat).
Nie mogę kupować - I am not able to buy ( the circumstances prevent it) I am not allowed to buy. (or I don't allow myself to buy).
also both nie mogę and I cannot are used sometimes to express "I shouldn't".
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That is fascinating !! You've been my life savior in learning Polish. Thank you so much once again. I wish Polish Duo has some more learning tips/commentaries in each subject as in other languages. I'm excited about visiting Poland in three weeks !!
