Appendix:Polish adverbs

Adverbs are used to describe the way in which an action is performed. They are used to describe or modify verbs, participles, adjectives and other adverbs: Samochód jedzie szybko (“The car is driving fast”), Jesteś bardzo uprzejmy (“You are very kind”). In addition, they may be used to describe time when the action is performed and place where it is performed.

Forming adverbs

Adverbs are derived by removing an adjective ending (usually -y/-i, -a or -e in nominative) and replacing it with the -o or -e ending.

Examples:

• szybki → szybko, jasny → jasno etc.

If an adjective ends in -r-y, the adverb receives the -rz-e ending:

• dobry → dobrze, mądry → mądrze etc.

When an adverb ends in -ny after a consonant different than K or L, the adverb receives the -nie ending:

• łagodny → łagodnie, wygodny → wygodnie, smaczny → smacznie etc; but: konny → konno, wolny → wolno etc.

Exceptions: zły → źle, trwały → trwale (but śmiały → śmiało), stary → staro.

Adverbs are not declinable. However, some of them may form comparatives and superlatives.

Comparison of adverbs

Comparatives and superlatives are formed by changing their endings according to this pattern:

• -ąco → -ęcej (gorąco → goręcej)
• -do/-dzo → -dziej (twardo → twardziej, bardzo → bardziej)
• -go → -żej (drogo → drożej)
• -ko/-to → -ciej (szybko → szybciej, żółto → żółciej)
  • -dko → -dzej (prędko → prędzej)
• -ło → -lej (ciepło → cieplej)
  • -oło → -elej (wesoło → weselej)
• -no → -niej (wolno → wolniej)
  • -ono → -ieniej (czerwono → czerwieniej)
  • -sno → -śniej (jasno → jaśniej)
• -ro/-rze → -rzej (staro → starzej, mądrze → mądrzej)
• -wo → -wiej (łatwo → łatwiej)

In other cases: -o → -ej

Superlative is always fomed by adding a prefix naj- to the comparative form.

Some adverbs do not form comparatives and superlatives by changing the ending. However, it is possible to form comparative using the adverb bardziej (“more”) and superlative using the adverb najbardziej (“the most”). It is possible to form such superlatives and comparatives for every adverb.

Exceptions:

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
dobrze	lepiej	najlepiej
źle	gorzej	najgorzej
dużo	więcej	najwięcej
mało	mniej	najmniej

Adverb word order

Adverbs are mostly placed before the verbs they modify but it also possible to place them after the verbs they modify. Moreover, to put an additonal accent on the adverb, it may be put at the end of the sentence.

Adverbs modyfing adjectives and other adverbs are placed before the adjective/adverb they modify.