GENDER OF POLISH NOUNS

There are three genders in Polish language: masculine, feminine, neuter.

Masculine nouns usually end in consonants:

Dom – house/home, Samochód – car, Pociąg – train, Kot – cat, Pokój – room, Autobus – bus

Feminine nouns usually end in –A or –Ć:

Piosenka – song, Butelka – bottle, Szklanka – glass(for water), Droga – road, Książka – book, Wódka – vodka, Miłość – love

Neuter nouns usually end in –O or -E:

Piwo – beer, Miasto – city, Szkło – glass, Okno – window, Oko –eye, Dziecko – child, Miejsce – place

PLURAL OF NOUNS

Polish plural has more than one rule, and more than two. Let’s learn to make plural form of Polish nouns:

Masculine nouns ending in -ł, -m, -r, -b, -d, -t, -p, -w, -z, -ch, -s, g, k will have plural ending –i/y. Also memorize for this rule: use -DZI instead of –DI, -CI instead of –TI, -CI instead of –ĆI, -SI instead of –CHI., Ź instead of Z.

Pociąg – Pociągi – trains

Książka – Książki – books

Samochód – Samochody – cars

Rower – Rowery – bicycles

Telefon – Telefony – telephones

Masculine nouns ending in soft consonants like -Ć, -C, -CZ, -DŹ, -DŻ, -Ś, -SZ ,-Ń, -RZ, -Ż, -L, -J. will have plural ending –E (-IE).

Pokój – Pokoje – rooms (notice that ó beomes o in plural)

Przyjaciel – Przyjaciele – friends

Gość – Goście

Kraj – Kraje – countries

Feminine nouns ending in –A have a plural ending –Y/I.

Strona – Strony – sides

Droga – Drogi – roads

Rakieta – Rakiety – rockets

Kobieta – Kobiety – women

Wioska – wioski – villages

Neuter nouns ending in –O have plural endings –A.

Okno – Okna – windows

Miasto – Miasta – cities

GENDER OF POLISH ADJECTIVES

Unlike nouns, one Polish adjective can belong to each gender.

Masculine adjectives have the endings –Y/I.

Biały – white, Piękny – beautiful, Nudny – boring, Wysocy – tall/high, Ciemny – dark, Jasny – light

Feminine adjectives have the  ending –A/IA;

Białawhite, Piękna – beautiful, Nudna – boring, Wysoka – tall/high, Ciemna – dark, Jasna- light

Neuter adjectives have the endings –E/IE.

Białe – white, Piękne – beautiful, Nudne – boring, Wysokie – tall/high, Ciemne – dark, Jasne– light

PLURAL OF POLISH ADJECTIVES

The plural form of Polish masculine adjectives has the endings –I/Y;

Biali – white, Piękni – beautiful, Nudni – boring, Wysoky – tall/high, Ciemni – dark, Jasni- light

As you can see, singular – I become plural –y, as well as singular –y becomes plural –i.

And the plural form of Polish feminine and neuter adjectives has the endings –E/IE.

Białe – white, Piękne – beautiful, Nudne – boring, Wysokie – tall/high, Ciemne – dark, Jasne- light

Examples

Noce w Petersburgu są jasne – nights in Petersburg are light (noc – night)

Polskie kobiety są bardzo piękne – Polish women are very beautiful (kobieta – women, bardzo – very)

Gdzie są tanie sklepy? – Where are the cheap stores? (tani – cheap, sklep – shop)

Czemu zawsze jesteśmy zajęci? – Why are we busy always? (zajęty – busy, zawsze – always)

Kto jest gotowy? – Who is ready? (gotowy – ready)

This Post Has 4 Comments

  1. PanRobak

    I’d like to point out some mistakes.
    Autobus instead of Awtobus
    Goście instead of Gośćie
    Kraj – Kraje – lands (countries would be more fitting)
    Biali instead of Białi
    Wysocy instead of Wysoky
    “Czemu zawsze jesteśmy zajęci?” would sound more natural
    I would not translate “świetlny” as “light” myself, it would be more of “luminous”. “Light” could be “jasny”.

    1. Artemiy

      Thank you very much for your contribution. It has been fixe thankfully to your corrections.

  2. John David Kromkowski

    One donut – paczek
    Two donuts – paczki
    Five or more donuts? – paczkow?

    Please clarify

    1. Ela

      Polish has basic plural for 2-4 pieces (or the ones that end with 1-4 like 22, 23) and another plural for groups of 5 and more. Hence 1 pączek; 2 pączki; 3 pączki; 4 pączki; 5 pączków; 6 pączków…. 20 pączków BUT 21 pączki, 22 pączki, 23 pączki.
      Hope it helps!

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