Lesson 5: Gender and plural in Polish language

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;

Biała – white, 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)