Verb forms

One verb takes -ing, another the infinitive, and the passive shifts focus from the doer to the action.

Gerund vs Infinitive

B1verb-ing · vs · to + verb

Some verbs take -ing (enjoy, avoid, finish), others the infinitive (want, decide, hope). A few change meaning (stop, remember).

Examples

Common mistake

I enjoy to read.I enjoy reading.

Some verbs (enjoy, finish, avoid) take the -ing form, not the infinitive: „enjoy reading”, not „enjoy to read”.

A2be + past participle

When what happens to the object matters more than who does it. Add the doer with „by”.

Examples

A2used to + base verb

A past habit or state that's no longer true. Don't confuse it with „be used to” (be accustomed to).

Examples

I used to smoke.
PLKiedyś paliłem (już nie).
We used to live in Madrid.
PLKiedyś mieszkaliśmy w Madrycie.
Did you use to play sports?
PLCzy kiedyś uprawiałeś sport?
drop the „-d” in questions and negatives: use to

B1say / tell (that) + backshift

When you report someone's words, shift the tense back one step (present → past, will → would) and change the pronouns.

Examples

„I'm tired.” → He said he was tired.
PL„Jestem zmęczony.” → Powiedział, że jest zmęczony.
„I'll call you.” → She said she would call me.
PL„Zadzwonię do ciebie.” → Powiedziała, że zadzwoni.
She told me she liked it.
PLPowiedziała mi, że jej się to podoba.
„tell” takes a person, „say” doesn't

A2bored (feeling) · boring (cause)

The -ed ending describes how someone feels; -ing describes the thing that causes the feeling.

Examples

I'm bored.
PLNudzę się.
my feeling
The film is boring.
PLTen film jest nudny.
the cause
She was surprised by the surprising news.
PLByła zaskoczona zaskakującą wiadomością.