blog.basics
Overview of Numerals in Polish
In Polish, numerals agree in gender, case, and sometimes in number with the nouns they modify. They also change form depending on the case (like adjectives) and sometimes trigger specific grammatical cases for the nouns...
The Polish alphabet consists of 32 letters, derived from the basic Latin alphabet with the addition of special characters adorned with diacritical marks. These modifications give Polish its unique phonetic characteristics. Here is a complete list of the le...
Personal Pronouns
Polish pronouns are highly genderspecific, reflecting the language's three grammatical genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter. Pronouns in Polish decline according to case, with seven cases in total. Below is a conjugation table fo...
Gender
Polish nouns have three genders:
Masculine
Feminine
Neuter
Gender affects noun declension and agreement with adjectives and verbs.
Number
Nouns in Polish have two numbers:
Singular
Plural
Some nouns only exist in plural form (pl...
Types of Interrogative Pronouns
Polish uses several interrogative pronouns to ask questions:
Kto (who): Used for asking about people
Co (what): Used for asking about things or actions
Który/która/które (which): Used to ask about a sp...
Demonstrative Pronouns in Polish Language
Basic Forms
Polish demonstrative pronouns come in three main forms:
1. Ten (this/these) for objects close to the speaker
2. Tamten (that/those) for objects far from the speaker
3. Ów (that...
Case Agreement in Polish
Polish adjectives must agree with the nouns they modify in case, gender, and number. This grammatical feature adds complexity to the language but allows for precise and flexible expression.
Nominative Case
Used for the ...
Prepositions
Polish prepositions play a crucial role in connecting words and expressing relationships between elements in a sentence. They can be classified into several categories:
Spatial: "w" (in), "na" (on), "pod" (under), "nad" (above)
Tempor...
Types of Conjunctions in Polish
Polish conjunctions (spójniki) are divided into two main categories:
1. Coordinating conjunctions (spójniki współrzędne)
2. Subordinating conjunctions (spójniki podrzędne)
Coordinating Conjunctions
These c...
Imperative Mood in Polish
The imperative mood in Polish is used to express commands, requests, or instructions. It is formed differently depending on the person and number:
Second Person Singular
For most verbs, remove the ć ending from the in...
Negative Pronouns in Polish
Polish employs a variety of negative pronouns to express negation in sentences. These pronouns are essential for constructing negative statements and questions.
Common Negative Pronouns
Nikt (nobody, no one)
...
Reflexive verbs
Reflexive verbs in Polish are formed by adding the reflexive pronoun "się" to the verb. This pronoun typically follows the verb but can be separated in certain constructions. For example:
myć (to wash) → myć się (to wash oneself)
u...
Simple Future tense
The Simple Future tense in Polish is formed using two methods:
1. Perfective verbs: Use the present tense form of perfective verbs
2. Imperfective verbs: Use the future form of "być" (to be) + infinitive
Perfective Verbs
Perfe...
Particles in Polish Language
Polish, like many Slavic languages, makes extensive use of particles to add nuance and emphasis to sentences. These small, often untranslatable words play a crucial role in conveying the speaker's attitude, emotion, or inte...
Usage of the Dative Case in Polish
The dative case (Celownik) in Polish is used to indicate the indirect object of an action or the recipient of something. It answers the questions "to whom?" or "for whom?"
Common Uses:
Indicating the recipient...
Accusative Case in Polish
The accusative case (Akkusativ) in Polish is one of seven grammatical cases used to indicate the direct object of a verb or the object of certain prepositions. It answers the questions "whom?" or "what?" and is essential for c...
Basic Word Order
Polish typically follows a SubjectVerbObject (SVO) word order, but it allows for considerable flexibility due to its case system:
Jan czyta książkę. (John reads a book.)
Case System
Polish uses seven cases, which affect n...
Vocative Case in Polish
The vocative case (Wołacz) in Polish is used for direct address, typically when calling someone by name or title. It's one of seven cases in Polish grammar and is distinct from the nominative case used for the subject of a sente...
Compound Future Tense
The Compound Future tense in Polish is used to express actions that will occur in the future. It is formed by combining two elements:
1. The future form of the verb "być" (to be)
2. The infinitive or past tense form of the main v...
Conditional Mood in Polish
The conditional mood in Polish, known as "tryb przypuszczający," is used to express hypothetical situations, wishes, and polite requests. It is formed using the particle "by" and the past tense form of the verb.
Formatio...
Comparison in Polish grammar involves understanding how to compare adjectives and adverbs. This process helps to describe differences and similarities in various qualities and quantities. This guide provides an indepth look into how comparisons are made i...
The subjunctive mood
The subjunctive mood in Polish, known as "tryb przypuszczający," is used to express hypothetical or conditional situations, wishes, and polite requests. It is formed by adding the particle "by" to the past tense form of the verb, f...
Narzędnik
The instrumental case in Polish, known as "narzędnik," primarily indicates the means or instrument by which an action is performed. It answers the question "with what?" or "by means of what?"
Common Contexts
Expressing accompaniment: "...
Types of Participles in Polish
Polish grammar includes several types of participles:
1. Present active participle (imiesłów przymiotnikowy czynny)
Formed by adding "ący" to the verb stem
Example: "czytający" (reading)
2. Past active ...
Compound Words in Polish
Polish, like many other languages, utilizes compound words to create new meanings and express complex ideas. These compounds are formed by combining two or more words into a single unit.
Types of Compound Words
1. Noun...
Locative Case in Polish
The locative case (Lokativ) in Polish, also known as the prepositional case, is primarily used to indicate location or time. It answers the questions "where?" or "when?" and is typically preceded by specific prepositions.
U...
Gerunds in Polish Language
Polish gerunds, known as "rzeczowniki odczasownikowe" or verbal nouns, are derived from verbs and function as nouns in sentences. They are formed by adding specific suffixes to the verb stem:
anie for imperfective verbs...
Prefixation
Polish extensively uses prefixes to modify verb meanings:
robić (to do) → przerobić (to redo)
pisać (to write) → napisać (to finish writing)
Suffixation
Suffixes play a crucial role in forming new words:
Diminutives: dom...