polski · A1 · verb · 4 minutes
Móc: present tense
Express ability and possibility with mog-/moż- alternation.
Understand the choice
Móc covers ability, permission, and possibility. The finite modal carries person; the action remains infinitive, while object pronouns use normal Polish positions.
Core rule: Móc alternates mog- in first singular/third plural with moż- in the other present forms and takes an infinitive.
Notice it in context
Mogę pomóc, ale dziś nie możemy zostać.
I can help, but today we cannot stay.
Mogę agrees with ja and supports pomóc; możemy agrees with my and supports zostać.
Możesz otworzyć okno?
Can you open the window?
Możesz begins the question; perfective otworzyć names the requested action.
Mogą przyjść z nami.
They can come with us.
Mogą agrees with plural subject; przyjść is infinitive.
What to remember
- Pomóc is perfective “help”; pomagać imperfective.
- Mógłbym/mogłabym is conditional could.
Common trap: Do not conjugate both verbs: możemy zostać.