Marks degree in exclamations and combines with superlatives to mean as much, as soon, or as well as possible.
Usage
Use jak before a superlative such as najszybciej or najlepiej to mean as much as possible.
Examples
Jak tu cicho!
How quiet it is here!
Przyjdź jak najszybciej.
Come as soon as possible.
Zrób to jak najlepiej potrafisz.
Do it as well as you can.
Nie wiedziałem, jak bardzo tęskniła.
I did not know how much she missed it.
Postaraj się mówić jak najprościej.
Try to speak as simply as possible.
Common mistakes
The superlative prefix naj- is often dropped after jak.
Incorrect
Correct
Przyjdź jak szybko.
Przyjdź jak najszybciej.
Zrób to jak lepiej.
Zrób to jak najlepiej.
Jak bardzo ludzi przyszło?
Ilu ludzi przyszło?
Similar words
jakże
bardzo
możliwie
Yak
noun
animals
neutral
Names the long-haired bovine of Central Asia, especially the domesticated yak.
Usage
Use jak for the animal, keeping its noun forms separate from the much more common function word.
Examples
W zoo zobaczyliśmy dużego jaka.
We saw a large yak at the zoo.
Skóra jaka chroni go przed zimnem.
A yak coat protects it from the cold.
Hodowca opowiadał o mleku jaka.
The breeder talked about yak milk.
Na zdjęciu widać jaka z długą sierścią.
The photo shows a long-haired yak.
Stado jaków pasło się wysoko w górach.
A herd of yaks grazed high in the mountains.
Common mistakes
The animal noun is confused with the question word because the spellings match.
Incorrect
Correct
Widziałem jak w górach.
Widziałem jaka w górach.
Mleko jak jest tłuste.
Mleko jaka jest tłuste.
Stado jaki pasło się w górach.
Stado jaków pasło się w górach.
Similar words
jak tybetański
wół tybetański
Usage
Read the sentence function first: jak may ask how, compare, mark when or if in speech, intensify a degree, or name a yak.
Common mistakes
Jak kolor is wrong when the question asks which kind of noun, so jaki kolor is needed.
Etymology
The function word continues Old Polish jak, shortened from older jako, from Proto-Slavic *jako. The animal noun was borrowed from English yak, ultimately from Tibetan.
FAQ
What does jak mean in Polish?
Jak most often means how, as, or like, and in everyday speech it can also mean when or if.
Is jak the same as jaki?
No. Jak asks how or links clauses, while jaki asks what kind or which before a noun.
Can jak mean when?
Yes. In everyday Polish, jak can introduce a time clause, as in Jak wrócisz, meaning when you come back.
Can jak mean if?
Yes. In informal conditional clauses, jak can mean if, as in Jak chcesz, meaning if you want.
How is jak used in comparisons?
Jak links comparisons such as biały jak śnieg, meaning white as snow.
What does jak najszybciej mean?
Jak najszybciej means as soon as possible, with jak strengthening the superlative.
Can jak mean yak?
Yes. A separate Polish noun jak means yak, the long-haired bovine, with forms such as jaka and jaków.
How is jak pronounced?
Jak is pronounced /jak/, with j like English y and a short a.
Comments & contributions
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