Polish cases: nouns and pronouns

All Polish nouns, pronouns, adjectives are declined by cases. In this lesson we will consider each of the Polish cases.

NOMINATIVE case shows an initial form of a word and answers the questions «Who?» and «What?». Hint phrase: «this is.. (a word in nominative)..»

GENITIVE case is analogue to the preposition «of» and «for» and also used after designation of number of an object, when you use a word with negation, and after Polish analogues of the prepositions “from, out of”. For example «The thing consists  of …», «One hundred …»,  «Many …. » , «there is no … » Hint phrase: «I don’t have … (a word in genitive)». This is the most often used case.

DATIVE Designates giving to an object. Hint phrase: «I give to … (a word in dative)»

ACCUSATIVE Shows an object of an action. «I can see…», «I use…», «I clean…», «I do…», «I make…».  Hint phrase: «I can see … (a word in accusative.)».

INSTRUMENTAL Is used analogically to the preposition «by». It is an «instrument» by which you do something. Also used with preposition “Z”(in sense of “with”). Hint phrase: «I do it by … (a word in instrumental)».

LOCATIVE case indicates a location. It is used after prepositions “w, na”. For example W Moskwie – in Moscow.

VOCATIVE case is used at calling something. For example, with names, when you call somebody by name.

CASES OF POLISH PRONOUNS

First of all, let’s practice with cases of Polish pronouns:

What is the difference between MNIE/MI, CIEBIE/CIĘ, JEJ/NIEJ and so on? The short form is used within a sentence, and long form is used for accent, or also one can explain so: It is used as well as “my” and “mine”, “your” and “yours” in English.

Examples

Czy ją kochasz? – Do you love her? (ONA in Accusative case)

Kto mi może pomóć? – Who can help me? (Ja in Dative case)

Czy nas widzisz? – Do you see us? (My in Accusative case)

Ja pójdę z nimi – I will go with them (Oni in Instrumental case)

Ja nie będę pracovać z tobą – I will not work with you (Ty in Instrumental case)

Tam mnie nie było – There was not me there (Ja in Genitive case)

Co możesz zaoferować nam? – What can you offer us? (My in Dative case)

Mam jedną butelkę dla ciebe – I have one bottle for you (Ty in Accusative case)

Powiedz mi – tell me (Ja in Dativve case)

To jest dla mnie – it is for me (Ja in Genitive case)

CASES OF POLISH NOUNS

There are three patterns of declension for Polish masculine nouns:

1)Person 2)Animate noun (animals) 3)Inanimate noun (things)

Let’s decline the noun KOT – cat (animate noun) and DOM – house/home (inanimate thing), Prezydent – president (person)

And now let’s consider cases of Polish feminine nouns. It is easier than masculine. There is a difference between a pattern for those feminine nouns that have plural ending –y and those that have –i.

Kobieta – woman, Piosenka – song

And finally, cases of Polish neuter nouns, it is also easier than masculine. There are patterns for those that have singular ending –o and those that have –e.

Miasto – city, Miejsce – place

Examples

W których miastach była Pani w Polsce? – In which cities you(formal, feminine) were in Poland? (Locative case)

Widziałem jednego człowieka tam – I saw one man there (Accusative case) (Widzieć – to see, Jeden – one, Człowiek – man/human)

Gdzie podróżowałeś w tym roku? – Where did you travel in that year? (rok – year, podróżować – to travel, ten – that)

Ja pracuję instrumentami – I work by instruments (Instrumental case) (pracować – to work)

Będęmy jechać przez cały kraj – We will go across the entire country (Accusative case) (jechać – to go(by transport), przez – through/across, cały – whole/entire, kraj – country)

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