powinnam

Powinnam is a Polish word that marks the first-person singular feminine form of the modal verb phrase meaning “I should” or “I ought to.” It expresses obligation, obligation with personal stance, or a suggestion by the speaker. The feminine form contrasts with the masculine form powinnem (or powinienem) and with third-person forms such as powinien (he should) or powinna (she should). The construction is part of Polish’s system of modal expressions built around the adjective-like form powinien with gender-specific endings.

In use, powinnam is typically followed by an infinitive: Powinnam to zrobić. (“I should do that.”) It is most commonly employed in present tense, with the subject in the feminine gender. The negative form is Nie powinnam, meaning “I shouldn’t.” The phrase can also appear in past contexts when combined with appropriate auxiliary forms, for example Powinnam była to powiedzieć wcześniej, which expresses a retrospective sense of “I should have said that earlier” by a female speaker.

Grammatical notes include that powinnam agrees with the subject’s gender and is used in singular form; for masculine speakers the corresponding form is powinienem, and for other persons or numbers, different forms of the same mood exist (e.g., powinien, powinna, powinniśmy). Powinnam functions as a present-tense modal construction rather than a standalone verb, and its meaning can carry varying degrees of urgency or politeness depending on context and intonation.

See also: powinien, should in Polish; powinna, should (feminine third person); powinniśmy, we should.