🎓 Lesson 4
Modal verbs let you express ability, obligation, and advice — can, must, should. Reflexive verbs (with "się") cover everyday essentials like introducing yourself. Connector words tie your sentences together.
🎧 Full Prerecorded Audio (Polish + English) (3:23 · pause/seek/rewind like a podcast)
Modal Verbs: Can / Must / Should⏩ 0:00
These combine with another verb's infinitive: Mogę iść (I can go), Muszę pracować (I must work).
| Pronoun | Móc (Can/May) |
|---|---|
| Ja (yah) I I | mogę (MOH-geh) I can |
| Ty (ti) you (singular) | możesz (MOH-zhesh) you can |
| On (ohn) he | może (MOH-zheh) he/she can |
| Ona (OH-nah) she | może (MOH-zheh) he/she can |
| My (mi) we | możemy (moh-ZHEH-mi) we can |
| Wy (vi) you (plural) | możecie (moh-ZHEH-cheh) you all can |
| Oni (OH-nee) they (masculine personal) | mogą (MOH-gohm) they can |
| One (OH-neh) they (non-masculine) | mogą (MOH-gohm) they can |
Word Cloud 1.0
mócmoots · to be able tomogęMOH-geh · I canmożeszMOH-zhesh · you canmożeMOH-zheh · he/she canmożemymoh-ZHEH-mi · we canmożeciemoh-ZHEH-cheh · you all canmogąMOH-gohm · they can
Word Cloud 2.0 — Packed Layout
| Pronoun | Musieć (Must) |
|---|---|
| Ja (yah) I I | muszę (MOO-sheh) I have to |
| Ty (ti) you (singular) | musisz (MOO-sheesh) You must |
| On (ohn) he | musi (MOO-shee) He must |
| Ona (OH-nah) she | musi (MOO-shee) She must |
| My (mi) we | musimy (moo-SHEE-mi) We must |
| Wy (vi) you (plural) | musicie (moo-SHEE-cheh) You all must |
| Oni (OH-nee) they (masculine personal) | muszą (MOO-shohm) they have to |
| One (OH-neh) they (non-masculine) | muszą (MOO-shohm) they have to |
Word Cloud 1.0
musiećMOO-shech · to have tomuszęMOO-sheh · I have tomusiszMOO-sheeshmusiMOO-sheemusimymoo-SHEE-mimusiciemoo-SHEE-chehmusząMOO-shohm · they have to
Word Cloud 2.0 — Packed Layout
| Pronoun | Powinien (Should) |
|---|---|
| Ja (yah) I I | powinienem/powinnam (poh-VEE-nyeh-nem/poh-VEEN-nam) I should |
| Ty (ti) you (singular) | powinieneś/powinnaś (poh-vee-NYEH-nesh/poh-VEEN-nash) you should (m/f) |
| On (ohn) he | powinien (poh-VEE-nyen) He should |
| Ona (OH-nah) she | powinna (poh-VEEN-nah) She should |
| My (mi) we | powinniśmy/powinnyśmy (poh-veen-NEESH-mi/poh-veen-NISH-mi) we should (m/f) |
| Wy (vi) you (plural) | powinniście/powinnyście (poh-veen-NEESH-cheh/poh-veen-NISH-cheh) you all should (m/f) |
| Oni (OH-nee) they (masculine personal) | powinni (poh-VEEN-nee) They should |
| One (OH-neh) they (non-masculine) | powinny (poh-VEEN-ni) They should |
Word Cloud 1.0
powinienpoh-VEE-nyenpowinienem/powinnampoh-VEE-nyeh-nem/poh-VEEN-nampowinieneś/powinnaśpoh-vee-NYEH-nesh/poh-VEEN-nash · you should (m/f)powinienpoh-VEE-nyenpowinnapoh-VEEN-nahpowinniśmy/powinnyśmypoh-veen-NEESH-mi/poh-veen-NISH-mi · we should (m/f)powinniście/powinnyściepoh-veen-NEESH-cheh/poh-veen-NISH-cheh · you all should (m/f)powinnipoh-VEEN-neepowinnypoh-VEEN-ni
Word Cloud 2.0 — Packed Layout
Reflexive Verb: Nazywać Się (To Be Called)⏩ 1:33
"Się" is the reflexive particle — it turns "to call" into "to call oneself," i.e. to be named.
| Pronoun | Nazywać Się (To Be Called) |
|---|---|
| Ja (yah) I I | nazywam się (nah-ZI-vahm shen) my name is |
| Ty (ti) you (singular) | nazywasz się (nah-ZI-vahsh shen) your name is |
| On (ohn) he | nazywa się (nah-ZI-vah shen) he/she is called |
| Ona (OH-nah) she | nazywa się (nah-ZI-vah shen) he/she is called |
| My (mi) we | nazywamy się (nah-zi-VAH-mi shen) we are called |
| Wy (vi) you (plural) | nazywacie się (nah-zi-VAH-cheh shen) you all are called |
| Oni (OH-nee) they (masculine personal) | nazywają się (nah-zi-VAH-yohm shen) they are called |
| One (OH-neh) they (non-masculine) | nazywają się (nah-zi-VAH-yohm shen) they are called |
Word Cloud 1.0
nazywać sięnah-ZI-vach shen · to be callednazywam sięnah-ZI-vahm shen · my name isnazywasz sięnah-ZI-vahsh shen · your name isnazywa sięnah-ZI-vah shen · he/she is callednazywamy sięnah-zi-VAH-mi shen · we are callednazywacie sięnah-zi-VAH-cheh shen · you all are callednazywają sięnah-zi-VAH-yohm shen · they are called
Word Cloud 2.0 — Packed Layout
Connector Words⏩ 2:12
"I" (and) is taught in a phrase rather than alone — a single letter is too ambiguous to pronounce reliably in isolation.
Ja i ty
yah ee ti
Me and you (i = and)
Więc idę.
vyents EE-deh.
So I'm going. (więc = so)
Ponieważ chcę.
poh-NYEH-vahsh khtsen.
Because I want to. (ponieważ = because)
Kawa albo herbata?
KAH-vah AHL-boh her-BAH-tah?
Coffee or tea? (albo = or)
Wiem, że lubisz koty.
vyem, zheh LOO-beesh KOH-ti.
I know that you like cats. (że = that)
ALE
AH-leh
But
Targeted Practice Sentences⏩ 2:51
Jak się nazywasz?
yahk shen nah-ZI-vahsh?
What's your name?
Nazywam się Anna.
nah-ZI-vahm shen AHN-nah.
My name is Anna.
Mogę iść do domu.
MOH-geh eeshch doh DOH-moo.
I can go home.
Muszę zrobić zakupy.
MOO-sheh ZROH-beech zah-KOO-pi.
I have to do shopping.
Powinieneś odpocząć.
poh-vee-NYEH-nesh ohd-POH-chohnch.
You should rest.
Nie mogę tego zrobić.
nyeh MOH-geh TEH-goh ZROH-beech.
I can't do that.
Musisz być cierpliwy.
MOO-sheesh bich cher-PLEE-vi.
You must be patient.
Chcę iść, ale muszę pracować.
khtsen eeshch, AH-leh MOO-sheh prah-TSOH-vahch.
I want to go, but I have to work.
🎴 Flashcard Practice
Polish → English
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🧩 Interactive: Fill-in-the-Blank Quiz
Fill in the missing modal, reflexive form, or connector, then check yourself.
Ja ___ iść. (can)
Ty ___ pracować. (must)
On ___ odpocząć. (should)
Jak się ___? (you are called)
Chcę iść, ___ nie mogę. (but)
Kawa ___ herbata? (or)
Wiem, ___ lubisz koty. (that)
My ___ pracować razem. (can)
Learning Strategy
Modal verbs are almost always followed by another verb's infinitive — "mogę iść," "muszę pracować," "powinieneś odpocząć." Practice them as two-word chunks, not single words, and you'll build sentences instinctively instead of translating word by word.