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Grammar

Terms Glossary
Cases (Przypadki)
Tenses (Czasy)
Verbs (Czasowniki)
Nouns (Rzeczowniki)
Adjectives (Przymiotniki)
Pronouns (Zaimki)
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  1. Home
  2. Grammar
  3. Tenses (Czasy)
  4. Past Tense (Czas przeszły)
  5. Introduction

Past Tense - Introduction

In Polish, unlike English, there is only one Past Tense. Both perfective and imperfective verbs may be used.
To express a completed, one-time activity, use perfective verbs.
kupić - to buy perf (to have bought)
Past SimpleMarek bought a new car.Marek kupił nowy samochód.
Present PerfectMarek has bought a new car.Marek kupił nowy samochód.
Past PerfectMarek had bought a new car before he moved to New York.Marek kupił nowy samochód, zanim przeprowadził się do Nowego Jorku.
To express an ongoing, incomplete activity, use imperfective verbs.
kupować - to buy imperf (to be buying)
Past ContinuousMarek was buying a new car.Marek kupował nowy samochód.
Present Perfect ContinuousMarek has been buying a new car.Marek kupował nowy samochód.
Past Perfect ContinuousMarek had been buying a new car when the accident happened.Marek kupował nowy samochód, gdy zdarzył się wypadek.
The Past Tense has only one set of endings, which depend on the number, person, and gender of the subject.
SingularPlural
MasculineFeminineNeuterMasculine PersonalOther
First Person-łem-łam-liśmy-łyśmy
Second Person-łeś-łaś-liście-łyście
Third Person-ł-ła-ło-li-ły
Jarek Hajduk

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Cases - Noun Declension

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Past Tense - Verbs Conjugation