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B2 · Upper-intermediate · Lesson 24
Verbal nouns (gerunds)
Turn an action into a thing you can talk about.
A verbal noun makes a noun out of a verb — 'reading', 'learning', 'a meeting'. Form it from the passive-participle stem plus -nie or -cie. These nouns are neuter and decline like any neuter noun.
| Verb | Verbal noun | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| czytać | czytanie | reading |
| uczyć się | uczenie się | learning |
| pić | picie | drinking |
| spotkać | spotkanie | a meeting |
- •-nie / -cie endings; the noun is neuter.
- •Used heavily in formal and written Polish.
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Uczenie się języków jest ważne.
Learning languages is important.
Czytanie to moja pasja.
Reading is my passion.
Mamy spotkanie o piątej.
We have a meeting at five.
Palenie jest zabronione.
Smoking is forbidden.
Gotowanie zajmuje czas.
Cooking takes time.
🧠 Tactic — If English would use '-ing' as a noun ('Reading is fun'), Polish reaches for the -nie form: Czytanie jest przyjemne.
⚠️ Watch out — Keep się on reflexive verbal nouns: uczenie się, not just uczenie (which means 'teaching').
Quick check
The verbal noun of 'czytać' is:
-nie forms the verbal noun: czytanie.
Verbal nouns behave like…
They are neuter nouns and decline.
Practice
Now produce the answers yourself — type them, choose the form, or build the sentence.
Verbal noun of 'czytać':
Verbal nouns behave like…
Verbal noun of 'uczyć się':
Say: Reading is my passion.
Reflexive verbal nouns keep…
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