Language/Polish/Grammar/Plurals
Hi Polish learners! 馃槉
In this lesson, you will learn how to form plurals in Polish. The Polish language has seven different cases, and it is important to understand the rules of forming plurals for each case. Let's dive into it!
Finish this lesson and explore these related pages: Cases, Gender, Past Tense & Vocative Case.
Basic Rules for Forming Plurals[edit | edit source]
In Polish, most nouns follow a set of basic rules for forming plurals. The endings of the nouns change to reflect the number of items or people being referred to. Here are some examples:
| Polish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| dziewczyna | dyeh-vchooh-zhih-nah | girl(s) |
| ch艂opak | hwaw-pahk | boy(s) |
| ksi膮偶ka | kshawn-zh-kah | book(s) |
| st贸艂 | stoow | table(s) |
| rower | roh-vehrr | bicycle(s) |
| miasto | myah-staw | city(-ies) |
| ulica | ool-eet-sah | street(s) |
There are different rules for forming plurals for masculine and feminine nouns in Polish. In general, for masculine nouns ending in a consonant, the ending -i is added in the nominative plural. For feminine nouns ending in -a, the -a is replaced with -i in the nominative plural. Nouns ending in -o or -e may change to -a or -y in the nominative plural.
Note that some nouns have irregular plurals and must be learned individually. For example:
| Polish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| dziecko | dyeh-t's-koh | child(-ren) |
| ko艅 | kohn | horse(s) |
| drzewo | d'zheh-voh | tree(s) |
| zamek | zah-mehk | castle(s) |
| r臋ka | rehn-kah | hand(s) |
Learning these exceptions takes time and a lot of practice.
Plurals in Different Cases[edit | edit source]
In Polish, each noun has seven different cases. The declension of a noun can affect the way the plural is formed. Here are examples of plural forms in different cases:
| Polish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| dziewczyna | dyeh-vchooh-zhih-nah | Nominative: girl(s) |
| Polish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| dziewczyny | dyeh-vchooh-zhih-nih | Genitive: of girl(s) |
| Polish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| dziewczynom | dyeh-vchooh-zhih-nuhm | Dative: to/for girl(s) |
| Polish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| dziewczyny | dyeh-vchooh-zhih-nih | Accusative: girl(s) |
| Polish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| dziewczynami | dyeh-vchooh-zhih-nah-mee | Instrumental: with girl(s) |
| Polish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| o dziewczynach | oh dyeh-vchooh-zhih-nahh | Locative: about girl(s) |
| Polish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| o dziewczynach | oh dyeh-vchooh-zhih-nahh | Vocative: O girl(s) |
As you can see, the endings of the nouns change according to the cases in the above examples. Therefore, it is important to memorize the nouns in different cases and practice them.
Special Cases[edit | edit source]
In some cases, the plural in Polish does not follow a regular pattern. Here are some examples:
1. Plurals of foreign words - In the case of nouns that are borrowed from other languages, the plural is often formed by adding -y or -i, depending on the noun.
| Polish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| hotel | hoh-tehl | hotel(s) |
| hoteliki | hoh-teh-lee-kee | little hotel(s) |
| szef | shef | boss(es) |
| szefowie | sheh-foh-vee-eh | bosses |
2. Plurals of shortened words - When a noun is shortened or clipped, its plural can be formed by adding -y, -i or -owie, depending on the noun.
| Polish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| fura | foo-rah | van(s) [short for furgonetka] |
| furki | foo-rkee | vans [pl. of furgonetki] |
| r贸g | roog | corner(s) |
| rogi | roh-ghee | corners |
| student | stoo-dehnt | student(s) |
| studenci | stoo-dehnt-see | students |
Practice Makes Perfect![edit | edit source]
The best way to learn how to form plurals in Polish is to practice, practice, practice! Listen to Polish music, watch movies in Polish, and read Polish texts to become more familiar with how words are changed to express different meanings.
To improve your Polish Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!
Dialogue[edit | edit source]
- Person 1: Ile penk贸w masz w swoim pokoju? (How many pens do you have in your room?)
- Person 2: Mam pi臋膰 d艂ugopis贸w i trzy o艂贸wki. (I have five pens and three pencils.)
- Person 1: Gdzie s膮 twoje ksi膮偶ki? (Where are your books?)
- Person 2: Na p贸艂ce w pokoju. (On the shelf in the room.)
Sources[edit | edit source]
- Polish/Nouns - Number - Wikibooks, open books for an open world
- Polish Cases: The Nominative (mianownik) | M贸wi膰 po polsku
- Polish grammar - Wikipedia
Videos[edit | edit source]
Polish for beginners. Lesson 13. Plural nouns - YouTube[edit | edit source]
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Perfective and imperfective verbs
- Pronouns
- Definite Articles in Polish
- by膰 to be
- Past Participle in Polish
- How to Use Be
- Personal pronouns
- How to Use Have
- Nouns
- How to Use be