By: condition and politeness — zrobiłbym, chciałabym
To say would, Polish adds the little word by to a past-tense verb. The two fuse into one word: zrobił + by + m = zrobiłbym, I would do. For example: “Chciałbym otworzyć konto w tym banku” — I would like to open an account at this bank. A rule from the Polish course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
To say would, Polish adds the little word by to a past-tense verb. The two fuse into one word: zrobił + by + m = zrobiłbym, I would do.
The person ending goes at the very end: zrobiłbym — I would, zrobiłbyś — you would, zrobiłby — he would, zrobilibyśmy — we would. A woman adds an a: zrobiłabym, chciałabym.
The first job is politeness. In a bank or at the doctor's, Poles rarely say I want. They say chciałbym — I would like. A polite request is czy mógłby pan powtórzyć? — could you repeat that?
The second job is a condition that is not real. Both halves take by: Gdybym miał czas, pojechałbym nad morze — if I had time, I'd go to the seaside. A real condition needs no by: Jeśli mam czas, jadę nad morze.
Table
| Who | Form | English |
|---|---|---|
| I (a man) | zrobiłbym | I would do |
| I (a woman) | zrobiłabym | I would do |
| you | zrobiłbyś | you would do |
| he | zrobiłby | he would do |
| we | zrobilibyśmy | we would do |
| politely | chciałbym / chciałabym | I would like |
| a polite question | czy mógłby pan...? | could you please...? |
| an unreal condition | gdybym miał..., zrobiłbym... | if I had..., I would do... |
By example
- Chciałbym otworzyć konto w tym bankuI would like to open an account at this bank
- Gdybym miał czas, pojechałbym nad morzeIf I had time, I would go to the seaside
- Czy mógłby pan powtórzyć?Could you repeat?
How the rule settles in your head
A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.
Frequently asked
By: how does it work in Polish?
To say would, Polish adds the little word by to a past-tense verb. The two fuse into one word: zrobił + by + m = zrobiłbym, I would do.
What does it look like in a Polish example sentence?
“Chciałbym otworzyć konto w tym banku” — I would like to open an account at this bank. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.