Lesson 31 – Past Tense II

Welcome back! In this lesson, we’re putting the past tense into practice by narrating what you did yesterday. This exercise will help you reinforce verb conjugation, sentence structure, and vocabulary. By the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to confidently talk about your daily activities in the past tense. Let’s get started!

Why Practice Narrating in the Past Tense?

Narrating your day helps you:

• Reinforce past tense verb conjugations.
• Build fluency in describing everyday activities.
• Practice using time expressions and connecting words.

Key Vocabulary for Daily Activities

Here are some essential verbs and phrases for describing your day:

Example Narration

Here’s an example of how to narrate your day in Polish:

Wczoraj (Yesterday):

• Wstałem/Wstałam o ósmej. – I woke up at eight.
• Zjadłem/Zjadłam śniadanie. – I ate breakfast.
• Poszedłem/Poszłam do pracy. – I went to work.
• Czytałem/Czytałam książkę. – I read a book.
• Spotkałem/Spotkałam się z przyjaciółmi. – I met with friends.
• Oglądałem/Oglądałam film. – I watched a movie.
• Poszedłem/Poszłam spać o jedenastej. – I went to sleep at eleven.

Grammar Notes

1. Past Tense Endings:
   • Masculine: -łem, -łem, -łem.
   • Feminine: -łam, -łam, -łam.
   • Neuter: -ło.
   • Plural: -liśmy, -łyśmy, -liście, -łyście, -li, -ły.
2. Time Expressions:
   • Use wczoraj (yesterday) to set the context.
   • Use o (at) + time to specify when something happened.

Practice Tasks

1. Fill in the Blanks:
   Complete the sentences with the correct past tense form:
   • Wczoraj ___ (wake up – masculine) o siódmej.
   • ___ (eat breakfast – feminine).
   • ___ (go to work – masculine).
   • ___ (read a book – feminine).
2. Translate These Sentences:
   • I woke up at seven. (feminine speaker)
   • I ate lunch at one p.m.
   • I went to the park. (masculine speaker)
   • I watched TV in the evening.
3. Create Your Own Narration:
   Write a short paragraph about what you did yesterday. Include at least 5 activities. For example:
   • Wczoraj wstałam o siódmej. Zjadłam śniadanie i poszłam do pracy. Po pracy spotkałam się z przyjaciółmi. Wieczorem oglądałam film i poszłam spać o dziesiątej.

Listening Practice

To improve your listening skills, try listening to Polish podcasts like:

• Real Polish (realpolish.pl)
• Polski Daily (polskidaily.pl)

These podcasts feature native speakers using the past tense in real conversations, which will help you get used to natural pronunciation and intonation.

Cultural Tip: Polish Daily Routines

In Poland, daily routines often revolve around family meals and outdoor activities. For example:

• Breakfast (śniadanie) is usually light, with coffee, bread, and cheese.
• Lunch (obiad) is the main meal of the day, often eaten around 2:00 p.m.
• Many Poles enjoy evening walks (spacery) or relaxing with family.

Homework

1. Write a detailed narration of what you did yesterday. Include at least 10 activities.
2. Practice saying your narration out loud. Focus on pronunciation and fluency.
3. Bonus: Record yourself narrating your day and listen back to identify areas for improvement.

That’s it for Lesson 31! You’ve now mastered narrating your day in the past tense. Keep practicing, and soon you’ll be sharing stories and memories like a pro. Do zobaczenia! 😊