B1 Polish GrammarAdverbs & Adverb Position
Master Polish adverbs (przysłówki) and their placement in sentences. Learn to form adverbs from adjectives using -o/-e endings, understand manner, time, and place adverbs, and know the flexible but meaningful positions in Polish word order.
1Forming Adverbs from Adjectives
Most Polish adverbs are formed by replacing adjective endings with -o or -e. Adjectives ending in -ki/-gi/-chi take -o: szybki → szybko (quickly). Soft-stem adjectives take -e: cichy → cicho (quietly). The adverb form is invariable - it never changes.
Adverb Formation
| Adjective | Adverb | English |
|---|---|---|
| szybki | szybko | quickly |
| wolny | wolno | slowly |
| cichy | cicho | quietly |
| głośny | głośno | loudly |
| piękny | pięknie | beautifully |
| dobry | dobrze | well |
Examples
Mówi szybko.
He speaks quickly.
szybki → szybko
Pies biegł wolno.
The dog ran slowly.
wolny → wolno
Śpiewała pięknie.
She sang beautifully.
piękny → pięknie (soft stem)
Zrobił to dobrze.
He did it well.
dobry → dobrze (irregular)
2Common Adverb Categories
Polish adverbs fall into categories: manner (jak? - how?), time (kiedy? - when?), place (gdzie? - where?), frequency (jak często? - how often?). Some common ones are irregular and must be memorized: bardzo (very), już (already), jeszcze (still/yet).
Adverb Types
| Type | Question | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Manner | jak? | dobrze, źle, szybko, wolno |
| Time | kiedy? | dziś, jutro, wczoraj, teraz |
| Place | gdzie? | tu, tam, wszędzie, daleko |
| Frequency | jak często? | często, rzadko, zawsze, nigdy |
| Degree | jak bardzo? | bardzo, trochę, prawie, całkiem |
Examples
Często chodzę do kina.
I often go to the cinema.
często = often (frequency)
Mieszka daleko od centrum.
He lives far from the center.
daleko = far (place)
Jestem bardzo zmęczony.
I am very tired.
bardzo = very (degree)
Teraz jest ósma rano.
Now it's eight in the morning.
teraz = now (time)
3Adverb Position in Sentences
Polish word order is flexible, but adverbs typically precede the verb or adjective they modify. Time adverbs often come first or last. Manner adverbs usually follow the verb. Degree adverbs (bardzo, trochę) precede what they intensify.
Position Guidelines
| Adverb Type | Position | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Time | Beginning/End | Wczoraj poszłem do kina. |
| Manner | After verb | Mówi głośno. |
| Degree | Before adj/adv | Bardzo szybko. |
| Frequency | Before main verb | Często czytam. |
Examples
Jutro pójdę do lekarza.
Tomorrow I will go to the doctor.
time adverb at beginning
Pracuje ciężko każdego dnia.
He works hard every day.
manner after verb
Ona jest trochę zmęczona.
She is a little tired.
trochę before adjective
Zawsze piję kawę rano.
I always drink coffee in the morning.
frequency before verb
4Comparative and Superlative Adverbs
Adverbs have comparative (-iej/-ej) and superlative (naj- + comparative) forms. Szybko → szybciej → najszybciej (quickly → more quickly → most quickly). Irregular: dobrze → lepiej → najlepiej, źle → gorzej → najgorzej.
Adverb Comparison
| Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
| szybko | szybciej | najszybciej |
| wolno | wolniej | najwolniej |
| dobrze | lepiej | najlepiej |
| źle | gorzej | najgorzej |
| dużo | więcej | najwięcej |
| mało | mniej | najmniej |
Examples
Biegnij szybciej!
Run faster!
comparative of szybko
On mówi najlepiej po polsku.
He speaks Polish the best.
superlative of dobrze
Musisz pracować więcej.
You must work more.
comparative of dużo
To było gorzej niż myślałem.
It was worse than I thought.
comparative of źle