Noun Genders and Adjective Agreement

• Polish Noun Genders
  • Polish has three genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter.
  • Each noun has a gender.
  • All male persons are masculine and female persons are feminine.
  • The gender of all other nouns, with a few exceptions, is governed by their endings.
• Inflected Language
  • Polish is an inflected language.
  • Nouns, pronouns, and adjectives change their endings to show their relationship to other words in the sentence (i.e. their case).
  • Polish does not need articles like a/an/the or some/any, unless needed for clarity.
  • Possessive pronouns like my, your, his, etc. are usually omitted.
• Nominative (Subject) Case of Nouns
  • The subject of a sentence stands in the nominative case.
  • Dictionaries and vocabulary lists nouns, pronouns, and adjectives in their nominative case form.
  • After the verbs 'be' and 'become', a noun (and any associated adjective) stands in the instrumental case.
• Masculine Nouns in the Nominative Singular
  • Masculine nouns in the nominative singular have no ending.
  • Their stems end in a consonant.
  • A few nouns referring to males end in -a, but they behave as feminine in the singular and masculine in the plural.
• Feminine Nouns in the Nominative Singular
  • Feminine nouns in the nominative singular have the ending -a.
  • Very few have the ending -i.
  • Some feminine nouns end in a consonant.
  • Abstract nouns ending in -ść are feminine.
• Neuter Nouns in the Nominative Singular
  • Neuter nouns in the nominative singular have various endings.
  • These endings never change in the singular.
  • Nouns in -ię and -ę do not show their stems in the nominative.
• Nominative Case (Singular) of Adjectives
  • An adjective agrees in gender, number, and case with the noun or pronoun it qualifies.
  • Most adjectives end in -y, -a, or -e in the nominative singular.
  • Some adjectives have a k or g in the nominative singular.
  • A few adjectives end in -ci, -pi, or -ni.
• Personal Pronouns in the Nominative Case
  • Personal pronouns in the nominative case include: ja, ty (sing.), on/ona/ono, my, wy (pl.), oni/one.
  • The pronouns on/ona/ono and oni/one can be omitted if the subject has already been mentioned or if the verb is in the past tense.
  • The verb być (to be) is often omitted in short questions/answers.
• Polite Forms of Address
  • Polite forms of address include the singular forms pan and pani, and the plural forms panowie, panie, and państwo.
  • The singular forms use the on/ona part of all verbs, while the plural forms use the oni/one form of all verbs.
• What Like?
  • To ask what something/someone is like, use the question words jaki?, jaka?, or jakie?

Works Cited

Bielec, Dana. Basic Polish: A Grammar and Workbook. 2014.

Definite and Indefinite Articles in Polish (A1 Level)

Definite Articles:

In Polish, there is no direct equivalent to definite articles like "the" in English. Instead, the concept of definiteness is often expressed through context, word endings, and word order.

For example:

• Noun without an article: Kot (cat)
• Noun with a demonstrative pronoun: Ten kot (this cat)
• Noun with a possessive pronoun: Mój kot (my cat)

In each case, the context or additional words help convey the definiteness of the noun.

Indefinite Articles:

Similarly, Polish does not have a direct equivalent to indefinite articles like "a" or "an" in English. The concept of indefiniteness is often conveyed through context and word endings.

For example:

• Noun without an article: Samochód (car)
• Noun with a numerical expression: Jeden samochód (one car)
• Noun with an indefinite pronoun: Jakiś samochód (some car)

Here, the use of numbers or indefinite pronouns helps convey the idea of indefiniteness.

Exceptions:

There are some cases where specific words function similarly to definite and indefinite articles:

• Definite Article Equivalent: Ten (this) or Tamten (that)

  • Ten dom (this house)
  • Tamten dom (that house)

• Indefinite Article Equivalent: Jakiś (some) or Pewien (a certain)

  • Jakiś pies (some dog)
  • Pewien pies (a certain dog)

Practice:

Now, let's practice with a few examples:

1. Translate the following sentences into Polish:

   • "I have a book." (Use an indefinite article)
   • "This is the cat." (Use a definite article equivalent)
   • "There is a tree in the garden." (Use an indefinite article)

2. Create your sentences in Polish using both definite and indefinite articles.

Answers:

1. "Mam książkę."
2. "To jest ten kot."
3. "W ogrodzie jest drzewo."

The Verb "Być" (To Be) in Polish (A1 Level)

Introduction:

The verb "być" is one of the most essential verbs in the Polish language. It is used to express existence, identity, and various states of being. Here's how it works:

Present Tense:

In the present tense, the verb "być" is conjugated as follows:

• Ja jestem (I am)
• Ty jesteś (You are - singular, informal)
• On/Ona/Ono jest (He/She/It is)
• My jesteśmy (We are)
• Wy jesteście (You are - plural or formal singular)
• Oni/One są (They are)

Examples:

• Jestem studentem. (I am a student.)
• Ona jest nauczycielką. (She is a teacher.)
• Jesteśmy w domu. (We are at home.)

Negation:

To negate sentences with "być," you can use the word "nie" before the verb. For example:

• Nie jestem z Polski. (I am not from Poland.)
• Oni nie są bracia. (They are not brothers.)

Asking Questions:

To form questions with "być," you can switch the word order or use question words. For example:

• Czy jesteś gotowy? (Are you ready?)
• Gdzie są książki? (Where are the books?)

Practice:

Now, let's practice a bit:

1. Conjugate the verb "być" for the pronoun "Ty" (you) in the present tense.
2. Create a sentence in Polish using "być" to describe yourself or someone you know.
3. Form a question in Polish using "być" to ask about someone's location.

Answers:

1. Ty jesteś. (You are.)
2. Jestem studentką. (I am a student.)
3. Gdzie jesteś? (Where are you?)

Present Tense of Regular Verbs in Polish (A1 Level)

Introduction:

In Polish, regular verbs follow a pattern when conjugated in the present tense. There are three main verb conjugation groups, distinguished by their infinitive endings: -ać, -ę/-eć, and -ić. Let's take a look at each group.

Group 1: Verbs Ending in -ę/-eć

For example: lubić (to like)

• Ja lubię (I like)
• Ty lubisz (You like - singular, informal)
• On/Ona/Ono lubi (He/She/It likes)
• My lubimy (We like)
• Wy lubicie (You like - plural or formal singular)
• Oni/One lubią (They like)

Group 2: Verbs Ending in -ać

For example: czytać (to read)

• Ja czytam (I read)
• Ty czytasz (You read - singular, informal)
• On/Ona/Ono czyta (He/She/It reads)
• My czytamy (We read)
• Wy czytacie (You read - plural or formal singular)
• Oni/One czytają (They read)

Group 3: Verbs Ending in -ić

For example: pić (to drink)

• Ja piję (I drink)
• Ty pijesz (You drink - singular, informal)
• On/Ona/Ono pije (He/She/It drinks)
• My pijemy (We drink)
• Wy pijecie (You drink - plural or formal singular)
• Oni/One piją (They drink)

Practice:

Now, let's practice a bit:

1. Conjugate the verb mówić (to speak) for the pronoun "Ona" (she) in the present tense.
2. Create a sentence in Polish using the verb jeść (to eat) to talk about what you eat.
3. Form a question in Polish using the verb nosić (to wear) to ask someone what they are wearing.

Answers:

1. Ona mówi. (She speaks.)
2. Jem śniadanie. (I eat breakfast.)
3. Co nosisz? (What are you wearing?)

Negation in Polish (A1 Level)

Introduction:

Negation in Polish is expressed by using the word "nie" before the verb. This is similar to the English word "not." Let's explore how to create negative sentences in Polish.

Negating Statements:

To make a positive statement negative, simply place "nie" before the verb. For example:

• Ja lubię kawę. (I like coffee.)

  • Ja nie lubię kawy. (I don't like coffee.)

• Ona mieszka w Warszawie. (She lives in Warsaw.)

  • Ona nie mieszka w Warszawie. (She doesn't live in Warsaw.)

Negating Questions:

When negating questions, "nie" is placed before the verb or the auxiliary verb, if present:

• Czy on lubi herbatę? (Does he like tea?)

  • Czy on nie lubi herbaty? (Doesn't he like tea?)

• Czy jesteś gotowy? (Are you ready?)

  • Czy nie jesteś gotowy? (Aren't you ready?)

Negating Commands:

For commands, "nie" is placed before the verb:

• Jedz warzywa. (Eat vegetables.)
  • Nie jedz warzyw. (Don't eat vegetables.)

Practice:

Now, let's practice a bit:

1. Translate the following positive sentences into negative sentences in Polish:

   • On lubi muzykę.
   • My uczymy się polskiego.

2. Create a negative question in Polish using the verb pić (to drink).

Answers:

1. • On nie lubi muzyki.
   • My się nie uczymy polskiego.

2. Czy on nie pije kawy? (Doesn't he drink coffee?)

Asking Questions in Polish (A1 Level)

Introduction:

In Polish, there are several ways to form questions. The most common methods involve changes in word order or the use of question words. Let's explore these aspects:

1. Yes/No Questions:

For yes/no questions, the word order is typically reversed compared to a declarative sentence. The word "Czy" is often used at the beginning of the sentence, though it's not mandatory.

• Ona czyta książkę. (She is reading a book.)

  • Czy ona czyta książkę? (Is she reading a book?)

• Jesteś studentem. (You are a student.)

  • Czy jesteś studentem? (Are you a student?)

2. Question Words:

Question words are used to ask about specific information. Some common question words include:

• Kto (Who)
• Co (What)
• Gdzie (Where)
• Kiedy (When)
• Dlaczego (Why)
• Jak (How)

Examples:

• Kto to jest? (Who is this?)
• Gdzie jesteś? (Where are you?)
• Co robisz? (What are you doing?)
• Kiedy idziemy do kina? (When are we going to the cinema?)
• Dlaczego płaczesz? (Why are you crying?)
• Jak się masz? (How are you?)

3. Tag Questions:

Tag questions involve adding a short phrase at the end of a sentence to turn it into a question. Common tags include "prawda?" (true?), "tak?" (yes?), and "nie?" (no?).

• To jest twój dom, prawda? (This is your house, right?)
• Lubisz herbatę, tak? (You like tea, don't you?)

Practice:

Now, let's practice a bit:

1. Turn the following statements into yes/no questions:

   • Ona czyta gazetę.
   • Jesteśmy w domu.

2. Create a question in Polish using the question word gdzie (where).

Answers:

1. • Czy ona czyta gazetę?
   • Czy jesteśmy w domu?

2. Gdzie jest twój telefon? (Where is your phone?)

Adjectives in Polish (A1 Level)

Introduction:

Adjectives in Polish, as in many other languages, are words that describe or modify nouns. They agree with nouns in gender, number, and case. Let's explore how adjectives work in Polish.

1. Gender Agreement:

In Polish, adjectives need to agree with the gender of the noun they describe. There are three genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter.

• Masculine:

  • duży dom (big house)
  • mały pies (small dog)

• Feminine:

  • ładna dziewczyna (pretty girl)
  • nowa książka (new book)

• Neuter:

  • małe dziecko (small child)
  • dobre jedzenie (good food)

2. Number Agreement:

Adjectives also need to agree with the number (singular or plural) of the noun.

• nowy samochód (new car)
• nowe samochody (new cars)

3. Case Agreement:

The case of the adjective depends on the role of the noun in the sentence. Common cases include nominative, accusative, and instrumental.

• Stary dom (Old house) - Nominative
• Widzę stary dom (I see an old house) - Accusative
• Idę z starym domem (I go with an old house) - Instrumental

Practice:

Now, let's practice a bit:

1. Match the following adjectives with the appropriate nouns, considering gender and number:

   • nowy (new)
   • ładny (pretty)
   • duży (big)
   • mały (small)
   • czerwony (red)
   • czysty (clean)
   • szybki (fast)

   Nouns: dom (house), samochód (car), książka (book), kwiaty (flowers)

2. Create a sentence in Polish using an adjective to describe a noun, making sure the adjective agrees with the noun in gender and number.

Answers:

1. • nowy dom (new house)
   • ładny samochód (pretty car)
   • duża książka (big book)
   • małe kwiaty (small flowers)
   • czerwony dom (red house)
   • czysty samochód (clean car)
   • szybkie książki (fast books)

2. (Example) Stary pies jest bardzo przyjazny. (The old dog is very friendly.)

Numbers 1-10 in Polish (A1 Level)

1. Cardinal Numbers:

Cardinal numbers are the basic numbers used for counting. Here are the numbers 1-10 in Polish:

1. jeden (one)
2. dwa (two)
3. trzy (three)
4. cztery (four)
5. pięć (five)
6. sześć (six)
7. siedem (seven)
8. osiem (eight)
9. dziewięć (nine)
10. dziesięć (ten)

2. Examples in Context:

• Mam jeden dom. (I have one house.)
• Dwa psy biegają w parku. (Two dogs are running in the park.)
• Trzy jabłka na stole. (Three apples on the table.)
• Cztery kwiaty w ogrodzie. (Four flowers in the garden.)
• Pięć studentów w klasie. (Five students in the classroom.)
• Sześć książek na półce. (Six books on the shelf.)
• Siedem dni w tygodniu. (Seven days in a week.)
• Osiem piłek na boisku. (Eight balls on the field.)
• Dziewięć kotów w domu. (Nine cats in the house.)
• Dziesięć samochodów na ulicy. (Ten cars on the street.)

3. Practice:

Now, let's practice a bit:

1. Translate the following sentences into Polish:

   • "I have three friends."
   • "There are six chairs in the room."

2. Create a sentence in Polish using a number from 1 to 10 to describe something around you.

Answers:

1. • Mam trzech przyjaciół.
   • W pokoju są sześć krzeseł.

2. (Example) W moim domu są cztery okna. (In my house, there are four windows.)

Telling Time in Polish (A1 Level)

1. Basics:

• Godzina - hour
• Minuta - minute

2. The Basics of Telling Time:

• To express the time in Polish, use the formula: "Godzina + Minutes."

  For example:

  • Jest pierwsza godzina. (It is the first hour.)
  • Jest druga godzina trzydzieści minut. (It is the second hour and thirty minutes.)

3. On the Hour:

• When telling time on the hour, you can simply say the hour and "jest" (it is).

  For example:

  • Jest piąta. (It is five o'clock.)

4. Minutes Past the Hour:

• When telling time with minutes past the hour, use the hour followed by "i" (and) and the number of minutes.

  For example:

  • Jest druga i dziesięć. (It is two ten.)

5. Minutes to the Next Hour:

• When telling time with minutes to the next hour, use the next hour followed by "minus" and the number of minutes.

  For example:

  • Jest trzecia minus pięć. (It is two fifty-five.)

6. Practice:

Now, let's practice a bit:

1. Translate the following times into Polish:

   • 3:45 PM
   • 8:20 AM

2. Create a sentence in Polish to express the current time.

Answers:

1. • Jest trzecia czterdzieści pięć po południu. (It is 3:45 PM.)
   • Jest ósma dwadzieścia rano. (It is 8:20 AM.)

2. (Example) Jest druga i piętnaście. (It is two fifteen.)

Days, Weeks, and Months in Polish (A1 Level)

1. Days of the Week:

• Poniedziałek - Monday
• Wtorek - Tuesday
• Środa - Wednesday
• Czwartek - Thursday
• Piątek - Friday
• Sobota - Saturday
• Niedziela - Sunday

Usage:

• Dziś jest poniedziałek. (Today is Monday.)
• Spotykamy się w środę. (We meet on Wednesday.)

2. Months of the Year:

• Styczeń - January
• Luty - February
• Marzec - March
• Kwiecień - April
• Maj - May
• Czerwiec - June
• Lipiec - July
• Sierpień - August
• Wrzesień - September
• Październik - October
• Listopad - November
• Grudzień - December

Usage:

• Moje urodziny są w maju. (My birthday is in May.)
• Zaczynamy szkołę we wrześniu. (We start school in September.)

3. Days of the Month:

When talking about specific days of the month, you can use ordinal numbers:

• Pierwszy - first
• Dziewiąty - ninth
• Dwudziesty piąty - twenty-fifth

Usage:

• Moje urodziny są pierwszego czerwca. (My birthday is on the first of June.)
• Spotkanie jest dziewiątego marca. (The meeting is on the ninth of March.)

4. Practice:

Now, let's practice a bit:

1. Translate the following sentences into Polish:

   • "We have a meeting on Thursday."
   • "My birthday is in November."

2. Create a sentence in Polish using the names of a day, a month, and a specific day of the month.

Answers:

1. • Mamy spotkanie w czwartek.
   • Moje urodziny są w listopadzie.

2. (Example) Spotykamy się w sobotę, trzeciego września. (We meet on Saturday, the third of September.)

Prepositions in Polish (A1 Level)

1. Basic Prepositions:

• w - in, at
• na - on
• pod - under
• nad - above
• przed - in front of, before
• za - behind, after
• obok - next to, beside
• między - between
• po - after, behind
• przez - through
• do - to, toward
• z - with

2. Examples:

• Jestem w domu. (I am at home.)
• Książka leży na stole. (The book is on the table.)
• Pies jest pod stołem. (The dog is under the table.)
• Ptak lata nad drzewem. (The bird is flying above the tree.)
• Idę przed dom. (I am going in front of the house.)
• Za domem jest ogród. (Behind the house, there is a garden.)
• Obok mnie siedzi kolega. (Next to me, a friend is sitting.)
• Między nami jest tajemnica. (There is a secret between us.)
• Idziemy przez park. (We are walking through the park.)
• Idę do sklepu. (I am going to the store.)
• Z tobą jest łatwiej. (With you, it's easier.)

3. Practice:

Now, let's practice a bit:

1. Translate the following sentences into Polish:

   • "The cat is under the chair."
   • "I walk through the city."

2. Create a sentence in Polish using a preposition to describe the location of an object.

Answers:

1. • Kot jest pod krzesłem.
   • Idę przez miasto.

2. (Example) Książka leży na półce. (The book is on the shelf.)

Personal Pronouns in Polish (A1 Level)

In Polish, personal pronouns change based on the gender, number, and case of the noun they are referring to. Let's focus on possessive pronouns, which indicate possession. Here are the possessive pronouns:

1. Mój/Moja/Moje - my, mine (masculine/feminine/neuter)

   • Mój dom (My house)
   • Moja książka (My book)
   • Moje dziecko (My child)

2. Twój/Twoja/Twoje - your, yours (singular informal)

   • Twój pies (Your dog)
   • Twoja kawa (Your coffee)
   • Twoje auto (Your car)

3. Jego - his (for masculine nouns)

   • Jego samochód (His car)
   • Jego dom (His house)
   • Jego pies (His dog)

4. Jej - her (for feminine nouns)

   • Jej książka (Her book)
   • Jej kawa (Her coffee)
   • Jej dom (Her house)

5. Nasz/Nasza/Nasze - our, ours (masculine/feminine/neuter)

   • Nasz dom (Our house)
   • Nasza praca (Our work)
   • Nasze dziecko (Our child)

6. Wasz/Wasza/Wasze - your, yours (plural or formal singular)

   • Wasz projekt (Your project)
   • Wasza rodzina (Your family)
   • Wasze pytanie (Your question)

7. Ich - their (for both masculine and feminine nouns)

   • Ich dom (Their house)
   • Ich samochód (Their car)
   • Ich książki (Their books)

Practice:

Now, let's practice a bit:

1. Translate the following sentences into Polish:

   • "Her cat is black."
   • "Our friend is coming."

2. Create a sentence in Polish using a possessive pronoun to describe something you or someone else owns.

Answers:

1. • Jej kot jest czarny.
   • Nasz przyjaciel nadchodzi.

2. (Example) To jest moje auto. (This is my car.)

Basic Conjunctions in Polish (A1 Level)

1. I - and:

• Ona lubi herbatę i kawę. (She likes tea and coffee.)
• Jem chleb i masło. (I eat bread and butter.)

2. Ale - but:

• Lubię lato, ale nie lubię zimy. (I like summer, but I don't like winter.)
• On jest bogaty, ale nie jest szczęśliwy. (He is rich, but he is not happy.)

3. Czy - whether/if:

• Nie wiem, czy przyjdzie. (I don't know whether he/she will come.)
• Zapytaj, czy masz czas. (Ask whether you have time.)

4. Bo - because:

• Jem warzywa, bo są zdrowe. (I eat vegetables because they are healthy.)
• On nie przyszedł, bo był chory. (He didn't come because he was sick.)

5. Gdy - when:

• Idę do pracy, gdy jest słońce. (I go to work when the sun is shining.)
• Gdy jest zimno, noszę ciepłe ubrania. (When it's cold, I wear warm clothes.)

6. Lub - or:

• Czy chcesz herbatę lub kawę? (Do you want tea or coffee?)
• Możesz wybrać zielony lub niebieski. (You can choose green or blue.)

7. Ponieważ - because:

• Nie przyszedł na spotkanie, ponieważ był zajęty. (He didn't come to the meeting because he was busy.)
• Lubię ten film, ponieważ jest śmieszny. (I like this movie because it is funny.)

Practice:

Now, let's practice a bit:

1. Translate the following sentences into Polish:

   • "I like apples and oranges."
   • "She is tired, but she is happy."

2. Create a sentence in Polish using any of the conjunctions you've learned.

Answers:

1. • Lubię jabłka i pomarańcze.
   • Ona jest zmęczona, ale jest szczęśliwa.

2. (Example) Czy masz czas, gdy będę dzwonił? (Do you have time when I call?)