Last time we talked about Polish Nouns. Today I wanted to go over cases and case use in polish grammar.

Polish nouns have different forms for expressing GRAMMATICAL CASE, related to the function of the noun in a sentence. For each gender there are forms for the Nominative, Genitive, Dative, Accusative, Instrumental, Locative, and Vocative cases – seven cases in all, in both singular and plural. In general, the Nominative case is used to express the SUBJECT of a sentence, the Dative to express the INDIRECT OBJECT (to or for whom something is done), the Accusative the DIRECT OBJECT (the item perceived by or acted on by the subject). The Instrumental expresses the MEANS BY WHICH something is done (for example, ride by train, write with a pen). The Genitive expresses POSSESSION and, in general, most meanings of of, for example husband of my sister, top of the mountain, end of the film, and so on. The Locative is used with certain prepositions, especially prepositions expressing the simple location senses of of, in, at, on. The Vocative is used in direct address; it may usually be replaced by the Nominative.

Here is a summary of the main Polish case uses. The pronominal questions with the corresponding forms of co (what) and kto (who) are given next to the case’s name.

Nominative Case (co? kto?)

The Nominative case is used to express the:

1. Subject of finite verb

Jan kocha Marię. Jan-Nom. loves Maria.

Maria kocha Jana Maria-Nom. loves Jan.

2. Subject of existential be

Jan jest w domu Jan-Nom. is at home.

Czy jest szynka? Is there any ham-Nom?

3. Complement of the identifying phrase to jest/są (that is/those are)

To jest nowe muzeum. That is a new museum-Nom.

To są moje okulary Those are my eyeglasses.

4. Complement of a naming phrase:

Jestem Adam Wolak. I am Adam Wolak-Nom.

Genitive Case (czego? kogo?)

The Genitive case is used to express:

1. Almost all meanings of of, including possession

To jest dom mojego przyjaciela That’s the house of my friend-Gen.

To jest koniec pierwszej lekcji That’s the end of the first lesson-Gen.

2. After many prepositions, including do (to), bez (without), dla (for), z (from, out of), od (from), u (at a person’s place), and others.

Tu jest coś dla ciebie Here is something for you-Gen.

Idę do kina bez was I’m going to the movies without you-Gen

On jest starszy od siostry He is older than (his) sister-Gen.

Wracam z Warszawy I’m returning from Warsaw-Gen.

3. After negated transitive (Accusative-requiring) verbs. Compare:

Mam nowy telewizor I have a new television set-Acc.

Nie mam nowego telewizora I don’t have a new television set-Gen

Już skończyłem drugą lekcję I have already finished the second lesson-Acc

Jeszcze nie zacząłem drugiej lekcji I haven’t begun the second lesson-Gen. yet.

4. Complement of negative existential nie ma (there isn’t), nie było (there wasn’t), nie będzie (there won’t be)

Nie ma masła There is no butter-Gen.

Marii jeszcze nie ma Maria-Gen isn’t here yet.

5. After many verbs, for example the verb szukać:

Szukam ciekawego prezentu I’m looking for an interesting present-Gen.

Here is a list of common verbs that take the Genitive case: bać się (be afraid of), napić się (have a drink of), nienawidzić (hate), pilnować (look after, tend, mind), potrzebować (need), słuchać (listen to), spodziewać się (expect), szukać (look for), uczyć się (study), uczyć (teach), używać (use), wymagać (require, demand), zapomnieć (forget), życzyć (wish, desire).

6. After numbers 5 and above (Gen. pl.). Compare:

jedno świeże jajko one fresh egg

pięć świeżych jajek five fresh eggs-Gen.pl.

jedna szeroka ulica one wide street

sześć szerokich ulic six wide streets-Gen.pl.

jeden nowy hotel one new hotel

siedem nowych hoteli seven new hotels-Gen.pl.

7. After weights and measures and all kinds of quantifiers like dużo, mało, trochę:

trochę sera a little cheese-Gen.

kieliszek wina a glass of wine-Gen.

szklanka wody a glass of water-Gen.

dużo domów a lot of houses-Gen.pl.

mało mieszkań not many apartments-Gen.pl.

8. To express the sense some, a bit of:

Nalać ci herbaty? Should I pour you some tea-Gen?

9. Genitive of time:

tej nocy on that night

piątego stycznia on the 5th of January

I think this is enough for today. Tomorrow I will continue with Dative and Accusative.

Do następnego razu! (Till next time…)