Difference between revisions of "Language/Polish/Grammar/Gender"

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Hi Polish Learners! 😃
Hi Polish Learners! 😃


➡ In today's lesson we will learn How to use genders in Polish.


Happy learning!


➡ In today's lesson we will learn How to use genders in Polish.  
Polish is a tough language to learn and that's common knowledge.


The reason behind it is not only the alphabet (which has 32 letters as opposed to English 26) but among other things, gender.


 
It can be really confusing for non-native speakers that are trying to learn Polish because the language is gendered. 
Happy learning!


__TOC__
__TOC__


Polish distinguishes between the 3 genders:
Polish distinguishes between the 3 genders:
# masculine
# masculine
# feminine
# feminine
# neutral.
# neutral.


==Rules==
== Rules ==
While masculine and feminine are referring to men or women, "neutral" words refer ''either'' to babies or inanimate objects.


# Feminine nouns generally end in -a, in -i, or in a soft consonant (ń, ć…),
# Feminine nouns generally end in -a, in -i, or in a soft consonant (ń, ć…),
# Neutrals end in -o, -e, -ę or -um,
# Neutrals end in -o, -e, -ę or -um,
# Masculine ends with a hard consonant (spółgłoska) and a few -a.
# Masculine ends with a hard consonant (spółgłoska) and a few -a.<br>
 
 


However, there are many exceptions. Some genders are consistent with the meaning, for example the masculine:
However, there are many exceptions. Some genders are consistent with the meaning, for example the masculine:
Line 31: Line 33:
* wykładowca (teacher),  
* wykładowca (teacher),  
* dentysta (male dentist and for a woman it would be dentistka).
* dentysta (male dentist and for a woman it would be dentistka).


The masculine is divided into "personal animates" (names expressing a human being), non-personal animates (an animal), inanimate (an object or an idea).
The masculine is divided into "personal animates" (names expressing a human being), non-personal animates (an animal), inanimate (an object or an idea).


* In the singular, the masculine are distinguished into animate (humans and animals) and inanimate (objects). 
* In the singular, the masculine are distinguished into animate (humans and animals) and inanimate (objects). 
* In the plural, they are distinguished into personal (humans) and impersonal (animals and objects). Often, the plurals of different genders are common, except the personal masculine.
* In the plural, they are distinguished into personal (humans) and impersonal (animals and objects). Often, the plurals of different genders are common, except the personal masculine.
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|'''Kind'''
|'''Kind'''
|'''Male'''
|'''Masculine'''
|'''Neutral'''
|'''Neutral'''
|'''Feminine'''
|'''Feminine'''
Line 54: Line 50:


-a (if male)
-a (if male)
|<nowiki>-the</nowiki>
| -o
 
-e
-and


-is
-ę


-one 
-um 
|<nowiki>-a</nowiki>
|<nowiki>-a</nowiki>


Line 68: Line 63:
|-
|-
|'''''Examples'''''
|'''''Examples'''''
|''table'' , "table"
|''stół'', "table"
 
''colleague'' ,  "ami"
|''desk'' , "bureau"


''swimming'' ,  "natation"
''kolega'',  "friend"
|''biurko'', "desk"
''pływanie'', "swimming"


''name'' , "nom"
''imię'', "name"


''museum'' , "musée" 
''muzeum'', "museum" 
|''apokalipsa'' , "apocalypse"
|''apokalipsa'' , "apocalypse"


Line 86: Line 80:


==Examples==
==Examples==
{| class="wikitable"
|'''<big>ENGLISH</big>'''
|'''<big>POLISH</big>'''
|'''<big>PRONUNCIATION IN</big>'''
'''<big>ENGLISH</big>'''
|'''<big>BRAZILIAN</big>'''
'''<big>PORTUGUESE</big>'''
|-
|
|
|
|
|-
|THIS (male)
|<big>'''TEN mężczyzna'''</big>
|'''''tehn mehn zhih chih zhih nah'''''
|Esse homem
|-
|THIS (female)
|<big>'''TA kobieta'''</big>
|'''''tah koh bih eh tah'''''
|Essa mulher
|-
|THIS (neuter)
|<big>'''TO dziecko'''</big>
|'''''toh jih eht skoh'''''
|Esse bebê
|-
|THIS (neuter)
|<big>'''TO krzesło'''</big>
|'''''toh ksheh sou oh'''''
|Essa cadeira
|}
Polish is a tough language to learn and that's common knowledge.
The reason behind it is not only the alphabet (which has 32 letters as opposed to English 26) but among other things, gender.
It can be really confusing for non-native speakers that are trying to learn Polish because the language is gendered.
There are three different genders.
Male, female and it.
While male and female are referring to men or women, "it" words refer ''either'' to babies or inanimate objects.


A few examples:
A few examples:
Line 150: Line 97:
For example :
For example :
* verb BYĆ (be)-> JA BYŁ(EM) - It says man / JA BYŁ(AM)- It says woman
* verb BYĆ (be)-> JA BYŁ(EM) - It says man / JA BYŁ(AM)- It says woman
{| class="wikitable"
|'''<big>ENGLISH</big>'''
|'''<big>POLISH</big>'''
|-
|THIS (masculine)
|<big>'''TEN mężczyzna'''</big>
|-
|THIS (feminine)
|<big>'''TA kobieta'''</big>
|-
|THIS (neutral)
|<big>'''TO dziecko'''</big>
|-
|THIS (neutral)
|<big>'''TO krzesło'''</big>
|}

Revision as of 16:22, 30 December 2021

Genders in Polish
Poland-Timeline-PolyglotClub.png

Hi Polish Learners! 😃

➡ In today's lesson we will learn How to use genders in Polish.

Happy learning!

Polish is a tough language to learn and that's common knowledge.

The reason behind it is not only the alphabet (which has 32 letters as opposed to English 26) but among other things, gender.

It can be really confusing for non-native speakers that are trying to learn Polish because the language is gendered.

Polish distinguishes between the 3 genders:

  1. masculine
  2. feminine
  3. neutral.

Rules

While masculine and feminine are referring to men or women, "neutral" words refer either to babies or inanimate objects.

  1. Feminine nouns generally end in -a, in -i, or in a soft consonant (ń, ć…),
  2. Neutrals end in -o, -e, -ę or -um,
  3. Masculine ends with a hard consonant (spółgłoska) and a few -a.

However, there are many exceptions. Some genders are consistent with the meaning, for example the masculine:

  • poeta (poet),
  • dziadzio (grandfather),
  • wykładowca (teacher),
  • dentysta (male dentist and for a woman it would be dentistka).

The masculine is divided into "personal animates" (names expressing a human being), non-personal animates (an animal), inanimate (an object or an idea).

  • In the singular, the masculine are distinguished into animate (humans and animals) and inanimate (objects). 
  • In the plural, they are distinguished into personal (humans) and impersonal (animals and objects). Often, the plurals of different genders are common, except the personal masculine.
Kind Masculine Neutral Feminine
The word ends

with: 

a consonant

-a (if male)

-o

-e

-ę

-um 

-a

-ść (abstract nouns)

a consonant (rare irregularities) 

Examples stół, "table"

kolega, "friend"

biurko, "desk"

pływanie, "swimming"

imię, "name"

muzeum, "museum" 

apokalipsa , "apocalypse"

wolność , "freedom"

noc , "night" 

Examples

A few examples:

  • Chair - TO krzesło (the "it" pronoun)
  • Baby - TO dziecko (same as above)
  • Woman - TA kobieta (female)
  • Man - TEN mężczyzna (male)


In Polish it is so important, because verbs must be inflected to every gender.

For example in the past simple in English, we describe only verb+ed or irregular form of this verb.

In Polish past tenses we must add the right letter in the end of verb.

For example :

  • verb BYĆ (be)-> JA BYŁ(EM) - It says man / JA BYŁ(AM)- It says woman
ENGLISH POLISH
THIS (masculine) TEN mężczyzna
THIS (feminine) TA kobieta
THIS (neutral) TO dziecko
THIS (neutral) TO krzesło
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