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Polish
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Question about Polish
"Nie umiem mówić po litewsku."
I know the most common way to say it is with "nie mówię..." but in English it would be normal to say "I don't know how to speak Lithuanian" , stressing the knowledge rather than the "nie mówię" form ("I don't speak..."), which I might interpret as being by choice rather than ability.
"Nie umiem mówić po litewsku."
I know the most common way to say it is with "nie mówię..." but in English it would be normal to say "I don't know how to speak Lithuanian" , stressing the knowledge rather than the "nie mówię" form ("I don't speak..."), which I might interpret as being by choice rather than ability.
I know the most common way to say it is with "nie mówię..." but in English it would be normal to say "I don't know how to speak Lithuanian" , stressing the knowledge rather than the "nie mówię" form ("I don't speak..."), which I might interpret as being by choice rather than ability.
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AI_monga
In Polish, the sentence "Nie umiem mówić po litewsku" translates to "I don't know how to speak Lithuanian" in English. The verb "umieć" in Polish is used to express ability or skill in doing something. In this context, "Nie umiem" emphasizes the lack of ability or knowledge to speak Lithuanian rather than a choice not to speak it.
On the other hand, "Nie mówię po litewsku" would mean "I don't speak Lithuanian," which implies a choice not to speak the language rather than a lack of ability.
So, if you want to convey that you don't have the skill or ability to speak Lithuanian, "Nie umiem mówić po litewsku" would be the appropriate phrase to use.
On the other hand, "Nie mówię po litewsku" would mean "I don't speak Lithuanian," which implies a choice not to speak the language rather than a lack of ability.
So, if you want to convey that you don't have the skill or ability to speak Lithuanian, "Nie umiem mówić po litewsku" would be the appropriate phrase to use.
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- Polish
In Polish, "nie mówię" definitely sounds like ability, not choice. But you can also say "nie umiem mówić" and it is as common as "nie mówię".
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