Let’s break down DOBRZE, DOBRY, DOBRA / good, well, fine – when, where, and how to say it “well.”

Because we’ve got rules, sure, but they tend to get jumbled in everyone’s head. Why is that? Let’s dive in and keep it simple!

So here’s the first rule: when you’re doing something, you do it well (or not well)/ DOBRZE (NIEDOBRZE). When you’re talking about what you do, you use a verb and the adverb DOBRZE / well.

Examples? Say no more:

• Mówię dobrze po polsku. / I speak Polish well.
• Gram dobrze na gitarze. / I play guitar well.
• Dobrze pływam. / I swim well.

See? Action word (verb) + “well.”

Now, when we’re talking about things (not actions), Polish gives them genders: masculine, feminine, or neuter. And then we use adjectives for good: dobry, dobra, or dobre. So, in these sentences, you have a noun + adjective.

Like this:

• To jest dobry rower. / This is a good bike.
• To jest dobry samochód. / This is a good car.
• To jest dobry komputer. / This is a good computer.
• To jest dobra książka. / This is a good book.
• To jest dobra kawa. / This is good coffee.
• To jest dobra szkoła. / This is a good school.
• To jest dobre wino. / This is good wine.
• To jest dobre kino. / This is good cinema.
• To jest dobre spotkanie. / This is a good meeting.

But sometimes, we mix things up, because these words take on whole new meanings!

For example, when you want to say “okay” or agree to something, you can just say dobrze (the formal, standard version). But in informal, everyday Polish, you can go with dobra – same meaning, different vibe. Here’s how you can use them interchangeably:

dobrze = dobra = OK = 😊

Example Time!

• – Czy możesz spotkać się jutro? / Can you meet tomorrow?
• 😊 / dobrze / dobra

• – Idziemy do kina? / Shall we go to the movies?
• 😊 / dobrze / dobra

• – Będę czekać na ciebie przed szkołą. / I’ll wait for you at school.
• 😊 / dobrze / dobra

• – Zostawiłam Ci dokumenty na biurku. / I left the documents on your desk.
• 😊 / dobrze / dobra

And then, there’s dobra, dobra…which is our way of saying, “yeah, suuure,” with a heavy dose of skepticism. It’s the perfect way to say, “I don’t buy it” (but politely…sort of).

– Przez miesiąc nauczę się polskiego! / I’ll learn Polish in a month!

– Dobra, dobra…/ Yeah, right…

• Przebiegnę w tym roku 10 maratonów! / I’m running 10 marathons this year!
• Dobra, dobra…/ Suuure… dobra, dobra…

So, was this a good explanation? Did I explain it well? Let me know! 😄

Is everything clear?

So, “good,” “well,” “fine” – when, where, and how to use “well.”

And while there are rules, somehow they seem to confuse everyone. Wonder why?

Let’s start with the basic rules.

When you do something, you do it well or not well. And when you talk about it, you use a verb. In a sentence like this, you have a verb and the adverb well.

I speak Polish well.
I play guitar well.
I swim well.

When you’re talking about things, in Polish you describe them as masculine, feminine, or neuter, and you use adjectives: dobry, dobra, dobre. In sentences like this, you have a noun and an adjective.

This is a good bike.
good car
good computer
This is a good book.
good coffee
good school
This is good wine.
good cinema.
good meeting.

But sometimes everything does get confusing because these words can have different meanings entirely.

For example, when we want to agree to something or confirm that we understand or acknowledge it, in Polish we can say dobrze (“well” or “alright”). This is the standard version. In informal Polish, we can convey the same meaning by saying dobra (“good” or “fine”). Here, they are synonyms—used in different contexts (formal vs. informal) but meaning the same thing.

dobrze = dobra = OK = 😊

• Can you meet tomorrow?
• 😊 / dobrze / dobra
• Shall we go to the cinema?
• 😊/ dobrze / dobra
• I’ll wait for you in front of the school.
• 😊/ dobrze / dobra
• I left the documents on your desk.
• 😊/ dobrze / dobra

Sometimes we also say dobra, dobra in Polish, meaning sarcastically that we don’t really believe what someone is saying.

• I’ll learn Polish in a month!
• Yeah, right… / dobra, dobra…
• I’ll run 10 marathons this year!
• Yeah, right… / dobra, dobra…

Is this a good article?
Did I explain it well?
Let me know!