niepomocny

Niepomocny is a Polish adjective meaning unhelpful or not helpful. It describes a person, action, or thing that fails to provide useful assistance in a given situation. The term is commonly used in everyday language to express that guidance, resources, or behavior did not contribute to solving a problem, even if no harm was intended.

Usage and nuance: Niepomocny conveys practical inefficacy rather than moral judgment. It can describe advice that does not address the issue, a service that does not aid, or a tool that cannot perform as expected. It is milder than terms like bezużyteczny (useless) but clearly negative about usefulness. In sentences, it agrees with the noun in gender and number: niepomocny człowiek, niepomocna rada, niepomocne urządzenie.

Etymology and grammar: The word is formed from the base adjective pomocny (helpful) with the negation prefix nie-. It has masculine, feminine, neuter, and plural forms: niepomocny, niepomocna, niepomocne, niepomocni, following standard Polish agreement rules.

Examples and usage notes: "Jej rada była niepomocna w rozwiązaniu problemu." "To niepomocny gest." "Odpowiedź pracownika okazała się niepomocna w tej sytuacji." Niepomocny can describe both people and objects, depending on context, and is most appropriate for expressing that something failed to be of practical assistance.

Related terms: synonyms include nieprzydatny and bezużyteczny, while antonym is pomocny. The term sits between neutral description and mild critique, suitable for evaluating effectiveness rather than value or intent.