Understanding the Genitive Case in Polish: How to Express Possession

What is the Genitive Case?

In Polish, the Genitive case (dopełniacz) serves multiple functions, with the primary purpose being to express possession. This case often corresponds to the English possessive form, usually marked by adding 's or of in English.

How to Form the Genitive Case?

The Genitive case involves modifying the endings of nouns, adjectives, and pronouns. The ending changes depend on the gender and number of the noun. Let's take a closer look.

Masculine Nouns

For masculine nouns, the Genitive singular often ends with -a, while the plural ends with -ów. Example: dom (house) becomes doma in Genitive singular, and domów in plural.

Feminine Nouns

Feminine nouns usually take the -y or -i ending in a single form, and -ęk or other variations in plural. Example: kobieta (woman) becomes kobiety in Genitive singular.

Neuter Nouns

Neuter nouns follow different patterns, but typically the Genitive singular ends in -a. Example: dziecko (child) becomes dziecka.

Using the Genitive Case

In addition to possession, the Genitive case is used after certain prepositions, in negative sentences, to express amount, and to talk about absence. Familiarity with these applications broadens understanding and fluency.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When using the Genitive case, learners often mix up endings. Pay close attention to noun gender, plural forms, and practice repeatedly with real-life examples.