Grammar guide
Polish cases: what each one does, and the endings
A Polish noun changes its ending to show its job in the sentence. There are seven cases. Each answers its own question, and most are triggered by a particular preposition or verb, so learning a case means learning its endings and what calls for it.
Every Polish sentence and form on this page is generated by the same grammar engine as the drills, so the endings are the ones the drills check.
The seven cases at a glance
| Case | Question | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| NominativeMianownik | kto? co? | The dictionary form. It names the subject, the one who does the action, and it is also the form after “this is”. |
| GenitiveDopełniacz | kogo? czego? | The busiest case after the nominative: possession (“of”), negation (a direct object turns genitive after a negated verb), amounts and quantities, and many common prepositions and verbs. |
| DativeCelownik | komu? czemu? | The receiver: who something is given, sent or said to, and who it is done for. A handful of everyday verbs (help, trust, thank) always take it. |
| AccusativeBiernik | kogo? co? | The direct object of most verbs: what you see, have, buy or like. A few prepositions take it when they mean movement towards something or a purpose. |
| InstrumentalNarzędnik | kim? czym? | “With” and “by means of”: company, transport, a profession after “to be” or “to become”, and the position prepositions (above, under, in front of) when nothing moves. |
| LocativeMiejscownik | o kim? o czym? | Only ever after a preposition: “in”, “on”, “at”, “about”, “next to”. It marks where something is (not where it is going) and what you talk or think about. |
| VocativeWołacz | o! | Calling or addressing someone directly: names, family members, titles. In everyday speech many people use the nominative for first names; letters and formal address keep the vocative. |
Case endings: five model nouns
Polish has three genders, but the masculine splits three ways in the endings: people, animals and things. The accusative is where it shows most: a masculine person or animal copies the genitive, a masculine thing copies the nominative.
| Case | studentstudent · masculine personal | kotcat · masculine animate | domhouse · masculine inanimate | kobietawoman · feminine | oknowindow · neuter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | student | kot | dom | kobieta | okno |
| Genitive | studenta | kota | domu | kobiety | okna |
| Dative | studentowi | kotu | domowi | kobiecie | oknu |
| Accusative | studenta | kota | dom | kobietę | okno |
| Instrumental | studentem | kotem | domem | kobietą | oknem |
| Locative | studencie | kocie | domu | kobiecie | oknie |
| Vocative | studencie | kocie | domu | kobieto | okno |
| Case | studentstudent · masculine personal | kotcat · masculine animate | domhouse · masculine inanimate | kobietawoman · feminine | oknowindow · neuter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | studenci | koty | domy | kobiety | okna |
| Genitive | studentów | kotów | domów | kobiet | okien |
| Dative | studentom | kotom | domom | kobietom | oknom |
| Accusative | studentów | koty | domy | kobiety | okna |
| Instrumental | studentami | kotami | domami | kobietami | oknami |
| Locative | studentach | kotach | domach | kobietach | oknach |
| Vocative | studenci | koty | domy | kobiety | okna |
Nominative (Mianownik)
The dictionary form. It names the subject, the one who does the action, and it is also the form after “this is”.
Question: kto? co?
When to use it
After 'to jest' the noun stays in the nominative.
To jest mężczyzna.
This is a man.
After 'to są' the noun stays in the nominative.
To są panowie.
These are gentlemen.
The subject of the sentence is nominative.
Tam jest dom.
Over there is a house.
With 'podobać się' the thing you like is the subject — nominative.
Podoba mi się telefon.
I like the phone.
With 'interesować' the thing that interests you is the subject — nominative.
Interesuje mnie muzyka.
I'm interested in music.
With 'interesować' the things that interest you are the subject — nominative.
Interesują mnie filmy.
I'm interested in films.
The one who calls is the subject — nominative.
Dzwoni ojciec.
My father is calling.
With 'boleć' the part that hurts is the subject — nominative.
Boli mnie głowa.
My head hurts.
With 'boleć' the parts that hurt are the subject — nominative.
Bolą mnie ręce.
My hands hurt.
Genitive (Dopełniacz)
The busiest case after the nominative: possession (“of”), negation (a direct object turns genitive after a negated verb), amounts and quantities, and many common prepositions and verbs.
Question: kogo? czego?
When to use it
A negated verb turns its accusative object into the genitive.
Nie mam domu.
I don't have a house.
'szukać' always takes the genitive.
Szukam telefonu.
I'm looking for a phone.
'do' (to) always takes the genitive.
Idę do szkoły.
I'm going to the school.
'do' (to) always takes the genitive — with a person it means 'to their place'.
Jadę do ojca.
I'm going to see my father.
'bać się' always takes the genitive.
Boję się lekarza.
I'm afraid of a doctor.
'używać' always takes the genitive.
Używam samochodu.
I'm using the car.
'słuchać' always takes the genitive.
Słucham mamy.
I'm listening to my mum.
Possession is expressed with the genitive.
To jest samochód matki.
This is my mother's car.
A partitive amount ('some of') takes the genitive.
Napiję się wody.
I'll have some water.
'u' (at someone's) always takes the genitive.
Jestem u brata.
I'm at my brother's.
'nie ma' (there isn't) always takes the genitive.
Nie ma czasu.
There is no time.
'potrzebować' always takes the genitive.
Potrzebuję pracy.
I need work.
'od' (from/on) always takes the genitive.
To zależy od męża.
It depends on my husband.
'z' meaning 'out of / from' takes the genitive.
Wracam z miasta.
I'm coming back from the city.
'dzwonić do' (to call someone) takes the genitive.
Dzwonię do nauczyciela.
I'm calling the teacher.
'dla' (for) always takes the genitive.
Kupuję prezent dla dziecka.
I'm buying a present for my child.
'dużo' (a lot of) takes the genitive plural.
Mam dużo kotów.
I have a lot of cats.
Dative (Celownik)
The receiver: who something is given, sent or said to, and who it is done for. A handful of everyday verbs (help, trust, thank) always take it.
Question: komu? czemu?
When to use it
'pomagać' always takes the dative.
Pomagam ojcu.
I'm helping my father.
'ufać' always takes the dative.
Ufam matce.
I trust my mother.
The indirect object (the receiver) takes the dative.
Daję prezent dziecku.
I'm giving a present to my child.
'dziękować' always takes the dative.
Dziękuję mężczyźnie za pomoc.
I thank the man for the help.
The beneficiary of the action takes the dative.
Kupuję kwiaty kobiecie.
I'm buying flowers for the woman.
'przyglądać się' always takes the dative.
Przyglądam się domowi.
I'm looking closely at the house.
The person the action is done for takes the dative.
Robię zdjęcie mamie.
I'm taking a photo of my mum.
'przeszkadzać' always takes the dative.
Nie przeszkadzaj rodzinie!
Don't disturb my family!
With 'podobać się' the person who likes takes the dative.
Ten prezent podoba się bratu.
My brother likes this present.
The receiver of the message takes the dative.
Powiedz to panu.
Tell that to the gentleman.
'życzyć' always takes the dative.
Życzę sąsiadowi miłego dnia.
I wish my neighbour a nice day.
'dzięki' (thanks to) always takes the dative.
Dzięki studentowi wszystko się udało.
Thanks to the student everything worked out.
'dać jeść' (to feed) takes the dative of the one being fed.
Daję jeść kotu.
I'm feeding the cat.
Accusative (Biernik)
The direct object of most verbs: what you see, have, buy or like. A few prepositions take it when they mean movement towards something or a purpose.
Question: kogo? co?
When to use it
The direct object of a positive verb takes the accusative.
Mam brata.
I have a brother.
'na' meaning 'waiting for' takes the accusative.
Czekam na ojca.
I'm waiting for my father.
'mieć ochotę na' (to fancy) takes the accusative.
Mam ochotę na wodę.
I feel like having water.
'za' (for) takes the accusative.
Dzięki za książkę.
Thanks for the book.
'martwić się o' (to worry about) takes the accusative.
Martwię się o matkę.
I'm worried about my mother.
'nad' with movement towards water takes the accusative.
Jadę nad rzekę.
I'm going to the river.
'na' with movement towards an event takes the accusative.
Idę na pocztę.
I'm going to the post office.
Instrumental (Narzędnik)
“With” and “by means of”: company, transport, a profession after “to be” or “to become”, and the position prepositions (above, under, in front of) when nothing moves.
Question: kim? czym?
When to use it
'interesować się' always takes the instrumental.
Interesuję się muzyką.
I'm interested in music.
'zajmować się' always takes the instrumental.
Zajmuję się sportem.
I work in sport.
'z' meaning 'together with' takes the instrumental.
Rozmawiam z ojcem.
I'm talking with my father.
The means of transport takes the bare instrumental.
Jadę samochodem.
I'm taking the car.
A profession after 'być' takes the instrumental.
On jest studentem.
He is a student.
After 'zostać' (to become) a profession takes the instrumental.
Chcę zostać nauczycielem.
I want to become a teacher.
'nad' (above) takes the instrumental.
Obraz wisi nad stołem.
The picture hangs above the table.
'pod' (under) takes the instrumental when there is no movement.
Kot śpi pod łóżkiem.
The cat sleeps under the bed.
'opiekować się' always takes the instrumental.
Opiekuję się matką.
I take care of my mother.
'przed' (in front of) takes the instrumental.
Spotkajmy się przed szkołą.
Let's meet in front of the school.
'z' meaning 'with' takes the instrumental.
Coś jest nie tak z telefonem.
Something is wrong with the phone.
'nad' meaning 'on (a task)' takes the instrumental.
Pracuję nad książką.
I'm working on the book.
'nad' (by the water) takes the instrumental when there is no movement.
Mieszkam nad morzem.
I live by the sea.
Locative (Miejscownik)
Only ever after a preposition: “in”, “on”, “at”, “about”, “next to”. It marks where something is (not where it is going) and what you talk or think about.
Question: o kim? o czym?
When to use it
'o' meaning 'about' takes the locative.
Myślę o ojcu.
I'm thinking about my father.
'w' meaning 'inside' takes the locative.
Mieszkam w domu.
I live in a house.
'na' meaning 'on' takes the locative when there is no movement.
Książka leży na stole.
The book is lying on the table.
'przy' (next to) always takes the locative.
Przy oknie stoi krzesło.
There is a chair next to the window.
'na' after 'zależeć' takes the locative.
Zależy mi na matce.
I care about my mother.
'na' after 'znać się' takes the locative.
Znam się na muzyce.
I know a lot about music.
'na' with events (and a few places) takes the locative when there is no movement.
Jestem na poczcie.
I'm at the post office.
Vocative (Wołacz)
Calling or addressing someone directly: names, family members, titles. In everyday speech many people use the nominative for first names; letters and formal address keep the vocative.
Question: o!
When to use it
Addressing someone directly takes the vocative.
Dzień dobry, mamo!
Good morning, mum!
Adjectives follow the noun
An adjective takes the case, number and gender of its noun, so in a real sentence both change together. A few mixed examples:
Zaraz przyjdzie duża rodzina.
My big family is coming in a minute.
The subject of the sentence is nominative.
Rozmawiamy o głupim serialu.
We're talking about the silly TV series.
'o' meaning 'about' takes the locative.
Jem świeże jabłka.
I'm eating fresh apples.
The direct object of a positive verb takes the accusative.
Wysyłam wiadomość nowym studentom.
I'm sending a message to the new students.
The indirect object (the receiver) takes the dative.
Jadę do dobrych przyjaciół.
I'm going to see my good close friends.
'do' (to) always takes the genitive — with a person it means 'to their place'.
Kot śpi pod dużym biurkiem.
The cat sleeps under the big desk.
'pod' (under) takes the instrumental when there is no movement.