A Level Polish AQA

This subject is broken down into 88 topics in 16 modules:

  1. Social Issues and Trends 11 topics
  2. Political and Artistic Culture 12 topics
  3. Grammar: Nouns 4 topics
  4. Grammar: Pronouns 7 topics
  5. Grammar: Adjectives 8 topics
  6. Grammar: Adverbs 2 topics
  7. Grammar: Verbs 16 topics
  8. Grammar: Prepositions and Conjunctions 2 topics
  9. Grammar: Numbers 5 topics
  10. Grammar: Syntax, Prefixes, and Suffixes 3 topics
  11. Texts 4 topics
  12. Films 2 topics
  13. Research Project: Poland During the Communist Era 3 topics
  14. Research Project: Racism in Poland 3 topics
  15. Research Project: Tourism in Poland 3 topics
  16. Research Project: The Resistance Movement in Poland During WWII 3 topics
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  • 88
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  • 31,338
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  • 4+
    hours of audio lessons

This page was last modified on 28 September 2024.

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Polish

Social Issues and Trends

The Polish Family: Changing roles within the family

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The Polish Family: Changing roles within the family

The Traditional Polish Family Structure

  • Historically, Polish families were arranged in a patriarchal mode where the father or the eldest male was the head of the family and decision-making rested primarily with him.
  • Women typically took care of the household chores and childcare, while men were responsible for earning and providing for the family.

Rapid Changes in Family Structures

  • The last few decades have witnessed significant changes in the family structures in Poland, primarily influenced by the rise of feminism and more women joining the workforce.
  • More women are now choosing their career over household responsibilities, resulting in an increased participation of women in the Polish economy.
  • There is now a clear move towards equal responsibility sharing between partners when it comes to household chores and childcare.

Shift towards Single-Parent Families

  • There is also an increasing trend of single-parent families, with mostly women taking the role of both the mother and the father.
  • Economic hardships and social changes have led to an increase in divorce rates, thereby increasing the number of single-parent households.

Influence of Migration

  • Migration, both internal and external, has greatly influenced the changing family dynamics in Poland.
  • Often men migrate for work, leaving women back home to manage both family and work, thereby changing the conventional gender roles.
  • External migration often results in "transnational families" where one or both parents live and work abroad for extended periods, and children are left behind under the care of relatives.

Elderly Care in Polish Families

  • Traditionally, Polish families were expected to care for their elderly. But with changing social structures and economic situations, there is an increased burden on the state to take care of the elderly population.
  • The shifting trend has also led to a rise in old age homes and professional care services.

The Impact of Religion

  • Despite these changes, the influence of the Catholic Church continues to shape domestic life and family structure in significant ways.
  • Even today, the Catholic Church's teachings emphasise traditional gender roles, although the enforcement and acceptance of these roles is less strict than in the past.

Summary

Evolution of family structures and roles in Poland reflects the broader socio-economic changes in the country. Regardless of these changes, the family continues to hold a significant place in the Polish society. However, the nature and emphasis of familial bonds and responsibilities continue to evolve, thereby reflecting the shifting realities of Polish life.

Course material for Polish, module Social Issues and Trends, topic The Polish Family: Changing roles within the family

Polish

Grammar: Verbs

Verbs: Infinitive

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Verbs: Infinitive

Infinitive Verbs in Polish

Understanding the Concept

  • An infinitive in Polish is the simplest form of a verb before it is conjugated.
  • It is equivalent to an English verb preceded by 'to', such as 'to eat' or 'to sleep'.
  • Every verb in Polish has an infinitive form, which exists in the dictionary.

Basic Forms

  • The infinitive form of Polish verbs typically ends in or -ć się (for reflexive verbs).
  • Examples include czytać (to read), pisać (to write) and myć się (to wash oneself).
  • Note that the final can change into varying endings depending on the conjugation.

Usage in Sentences

  • Infinitives are often used in Polish after modal verbs like chcieć (to want), móc (to be able), and musieć (to have to). This follows a structure similar to English. For instance, Chcę czytać translates to 'I want to read'.
  • They can be used to express intent or a future action even without a modal verb, usually after zamierzam (I intend to). For example, Zamierzam przeczytać tę książkę which translates to 'I intend to read this book'.

Transformation into other Verb Forms

  • The infinitive form of the verb can be transformed into the past, present, future or conditional forms.
  • The stem of the infinitive verb is used to determine its other forms. The stem is the infinitive form of the verb without or -ć się.
  • The verb stem can sometimes change when transforming the verb into other forms. This is because of the phenomenon of alternation in Polish language.

Key Points to Remember

  • Infinitive verbs in Polish are like the root from which all other verb forms grow.
  • The infinitive always ends in or -ć się and is usually quoted as the dictionary form.
  • The verb stem, derived from the infinitive, is used to determine its conjugation.
  • Understanding these rules is central to being able to successfully conjugate and use verbs in the Polish language.

Course material for Polish, module Grammar: Verbs, topic Verbs: Infinitive

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