Polish Accusative Case

Content

• Usage
• Singular Nouns
  • Masculine Animate
  • Masculine Inanimate
  • Feminine
  • Neuter
• Singular Adjectives
  • Masculine Animate
  • Masculine Inanimate
  • Feminine
  • Neuter
• Plural Nouns
  • Masculine Personal
  • Masculine Non-Personal
  • Feminine
  • Neuter
• Plural Adjectives
  • Masculine Personal
  • Masculine Non-Personal, Feminine, and Neuter
• Declension Tables

The accusative is the fourth of the 7 cases.

It is mainly used as the direct object.

It answers the questions:

– kogo? (who?)
– co? (what?)

 

Accusative Case Usage

1. Direct object in affirmative sentences

For verbs that are negated, the genitive is used instead.

Kopnąłem piłkę.
(I kicked the ball)

Kupiłem nowy dom.
(I bought a new house)

2. With certain prepositions

These include: o (against, up against), na (for), po (for), w (into, on), przez (through, across, for), and more. Note that the prepositions o, na, po, and w are also used in the locative case. However, these prepositions are used in the accusative to put more emphasis on motion.
A list of more accusative prepositions is provided.

Książka jest oparta o ścianę.
(The book is leaning against the wall)

Wyjeżdżam po piwo.
(I am going for beer)

W poniedziałek, mam szkołę.
(On monday, I have school)

Robiłem to przez całe życie.
(I have been doing this for my whole life)

Accusative vs Locative Prepositions

1. Jadę na mecz.
(I am going for the game)

2. Jestem na meczu.
(I am at the game).

The word mecz (match) in sentence 1 is in the accusative after the preposition na because there is motion; “I” am going to the game. In sentence 2, mecz is in the locative because there is no motion.

3. With certain phrases regarding time

Pracowałem całą noc.
(I worked the whole night)

Ten sklep jest otwarty całą dobę.
(This store is open 24 hours a day)

 

Accusative Case Declension

Accusative Singular Nouns

Masculine accusative singular nouns are divided into animate and inanimate.

Masculine Animate

– Receive a ending

Nominative Singular	Accusative Singular
jastrząb (hawk) kret (mole) jeż (hedgehog)	jastrzęba kreta jeża

Masculine Inanimate

– Receive no ending (same form as the nominative masculine singular).

Nominative Singular	Accusative Singular
komputer (computer) stół (table) sweter (sweater)	komputer stół sweter

Feminine

– If it ends with an “a”, receives ę ending.

Nominative Singular	Accusative Singular
bluzka (blouse) stopa (foot) ręka (hand)	bluzkę stopę rękę

– If it ends with a consonant, receives no ending (same form as the nominative feminine singular).

Nominative Singular	Accusative Singular
noc (night) łódź (boat) powódź (flood)	noc łódź powódź

Neuter

– Receive no ending (same form as the nominative neuter singular)

Nominative Singular	Accusative Singular
ciało (body) czoło (forehead) gniazdo (nest)	ciało czoło gniazdo

 

Accusative Singular Adjectives

Masculine accusative singular adjectives are divided into animate and inanimate.

Masculine Animate

– Receive ego ending.

Nominative Singular	Accusative Singular
duży (big) tani (cheap)	dużego taniego

Masculine Inanimate

– Receive y or i ending (same form as masculine nominative singular adjective)

Nominative Singular	Accusative Singular
duży (big) tani (cheap)	duży tani

Feminine

– Receive ą ending.

Nominative Singular	Accusative Singular
duży (big) tani (cheap)	dużą tanią

Neuter

– Receive e ending (same form as neuter nominative singular adjective)

Nominative Singular	Accusative Singular
duży (big) tani (cheap)	duże tanie

 

Accusative Plural Nouns

Masculine accusative plural nouns are divided into personal and non-personal.

Masculine Personal

– These have the same endings as the genitive plural nouns.

Nominative Singular	Accusative Plural
żołnierz (soldier) chłopiec (boy) syn (son)	żołnierzy chłopców synów

Masculine Non-Personal

– These have the same endings as the masculine nominative plural nouns.

Nominative Singular	Accusative Plural
klucz (key) strzęp (scrap) przycisk (button)	klucze strzępy przyciski

Feminine

– These have the same endings as the feminine nominative plural nouns.

Nominative Singular	Accusative Plural
osoba (person) ściana (wall) piłka (ball)	osoby ściany piłki

Neuter

– These have the same endings as the neuter nominative plural nouns.

Nominative Singular	Accusative Plural
mieszkanie (flat) środowisko (environment) muzeum (museum)	mieszkania środowiska muzea

 

Accusative Plural Adjectives

Masculine plural accusative adjectives are also divided into masculine personal and masculine non-personal declension.

Masculine Personal

– If it ends with a hard consonant, except k and g, or a hardened consonant, receives ych ending.

Nominative Singular	Accusative Plural
duży (big) inny (different)	dużych innych

– If it ends with a soft consonant, or k or g, receives ich ending.

Nominative Singular	Accusative Plural
tani (cheap) wysoki (tall)	tanich wysokich

Masculine Non-Personal, Feminine, and Neuter

– Receive e ending (same form as masculine non-personal, feminine, and neuter nominative plural nouns).

Nominative Singular	Accusative Plural
duży (big) tani (cheap)	duże tanie

 

Declension Tables

Singular Nouns

Singular Adjectives

Plural Nouns

Plural Adjectives