wiem

Wiem is the first-person singular present tense form of the Polish verb wiedzieć, meaning "to know." It is used to express knowledge of a fact, a situation, or information. In many sentences the subject ja is implicit, as in Wiem, but it can be followed by a clause introduced with że or by an indirect question. For example: Wiem, że masz rację; Wiem, czym to się skończy. The negation is nie wiem, meaning "I do not know."

Grammatical notes: wiedzieć is a standard, irregular-type verb in Polish. Present tense forms are: ja wiem, ty wiesz, on wie, my wiemy, wy wiecie, oni wiedzą. The root changes across persons, and the third-person plural uses the ending -ą, written as wiedzą.

Etymology: The verb wiedzieć derives from a Proto-Slavic root meaning "to know" and has cognates in other Slavic languages. It is part of a family of words related to knowledge, such as wiedza (knowledge) and wiedzieć in various compositions.

Pronunciation: Wiem is pronounced roughly as [ˈvjɛm], with a first-syllable stress and a palatal onset in Polish.

Usage context: Wiem is common in everyday Polish and appears in both spoken and written language. It can introduce reported knowledge, judgments, or certainty, and it contrasts with nie wiem for uncertainty or lack of knowledge.

See also: wiedza, wiedzieć, znać.