warto + Infinitive
Warto with an Infinitive
warto + infinitive = It is worth (doing something).
How It Works
The expression warto is one of the most common ways to give advice or express an opinion in Polish. It functions as a 'defective verb' or predicative, meaning it doesn't have a subject like 'I' or 'you.'
Key Rules:
- Always use the infinitive: Unlike English, which uses the '-ing' form (worth seeing), Polish always uses the infinitive (warto zobaczyć).
- Impersonal Nature: You cannot say 'I am worth' using this pattern. The sentence describes the action itself, not the person doing it.
- Tense Changes: To change the tense, use the 3rd person singular neuter form of być:
- Past: warto było (it was worth)
- Future: warto będzie (it will be worth)
- Conditional: warto byłoby (it would be worth) - Negation: Simply place nie before it: nie warto (it's not worth it).
Warto vs. Opłaca się:
Use warto for general, moral, or aesthetic value (e.g., 'It's worth visiting Grandma'). Use opłaca się for financial or pragmatic profit (e.g., 'It pays off to buy this on sale').
Examples (5)
- Warto spróbować tego ciasta.
It is worth trying this cake.
Word by Word: Worth to-try this cake.
A simple recommendation using the perfective infinitive 'spróbować'.
- Warto było czekać tak długo.
It was worth waiting so long.
Word by Word: Worth was to-wait so long.
Shows the past tense construction using 'było'.
- Nie warto się denerwować.
It’s not worth getting upset.
Word by Word: Not worth oneself to-upset.
Negation using 'nie' and the reflexive pronoun się.
- Warto przeczytać tę książkę.
It is worth reading this book.
Word by Word: Worth to-read this book.
Using a perfective verb to suggest completing the action of reading a specific book.
- Warto będzie tam pojechać latem.
It will be worth going there in the summer.
Word by Word: Worth will-be there to-go in-summer.
Shows the future tense construction using 'będzie'.
Common Mistakes
Using a personal subject (I, you, he) with warto.
Ja warto to zrobić.Warto to zrobić.Warto is impersonal. You cannot have a nominative subject like 'Ja' (I). The sentence must remain subjectless.
Using a verbal noun (gerund) instead of an infinitive.
Warto czytanie książek.Warto czytać książki.English speakers often translate 'worth reading' literally. In Polish, you must use the infinitive 'czytać,' not the noun 'czytanie'.
Using a dative pronoun to mean 'worth it to me'.
Different MeaningWarto mi to kupić.Warto to kupić.Warto mi to kupić is grammatical, but mi belongs to kupić and means 'for me': 'it is worth buying it for me'. Unlike zimno mi (I am cold), 'warto' takes no dative experiencer. To say 'worth it to me', use Dla mnie warto to kupić.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Learn Modal Verbs With Infinitives before Warto With An Infinitive.
Related Patterns
- trzeba / można / wartoImpersonal Predicate Words
Warto belongs to this group of impersonal words that all follow the same grammatical rules and take infinitives.
Level 3 - trzeba + InfinitiveTrzeba with an Infinitive
Trzeba expresses necessity ('must'), while warto expresses a softer recommendation ('worth it').
Level 2 - można + InfinitiveMożna with an Infinitive
Można expresses possibility or permission ('one can'), sharing the same impersonal structure as warto.
Level 2 - Verb Aspect
The choice between imperfective and perfective infinitives after warto changes the meaning from general advice to a specific completed action.
Level 2 - nieNegation with Nie
Negating warto follows the standard Polish rule of placing 'nie' directly before the word.
Level 1 - byćThe Verb Być
The 3rd person singular neuter forms of być (było, będzie) are required to change the tense of warto.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice warto + Infinitive in Bubblegum
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