The Declination of Polish Nouns and Adjectives

Classification of Polish Consonants  

soft consonants g(i) k(i) ch(i) r(i) w(i) f(i) p(i) m(i) b(i) dź = dz(i) ć = c(i) ń = n(i) ś = s(i) ź = z(i) l h(i) j hardened consonants dz c sz rz cz dż ż hard consonants g k ch r w f p m b d t n s z ł h

Declination Table  

singular plural masculine neuter feminine masculine personal masculine non-personal + feminine neuter Nominative nouns -consonant (-ca, -sta → decline as feminine) soft+hardened -e (-ďż˝) hard -o (-um → do not decline!) -a (-yni*, -ini, -ni; rarely consonants: -ość, sól, rzecz, noc, wieś) soft+hardened -e g, k, r -y rest -i or -owie soft+hardened -e g, k, -ość -i rest, rzecz -y -a adjectives soft, g, k: -i rest: -y soft, g, k: stem+ie rest: stem+e soft: stem+ia rest: stem+a soft, g, k: -i rest: -y (see Table above!) soft, g, k: -ie rest: -e Genetive nouns -a (-u) -a soft, ch, g, k: -i rest: -y -´w masculine non-personal soft: -i rest: -ów (-y) feminine soft: -Ø hardened: -y hard -Ø -Ø adjectives -ego -ej soft, g, k: -ich rest: -ych Dative nouns -owi (-u) -u soft: -i hardened: -y ch, g, k → sz, dz, c: -e rest → soft: -e -om adjectives -emu as genetive soft, g, k: -im rest: -ym Accusative nouns animates as genetive inanimates as nominative as nominative if nominative ends in a, i: -ďż˝ cons: as nominative as genetive as nominative (feminine sometimes -Ø) adjectives as genetive as nominative -**** as genetive as nominative Instrumental nouns -em -**** -ami (-mi) adjectives soft, g, k: -im rest: -ym as accusative soft, g, k: -imi rest: -ymi Locative nouns soft+hardened, ch, g, k: -u rest -e (consonant changes as dative feminine!) as dative if nominative singular finishes in a, e, i, o or Ø -ach (Niemczech, Woszech, Wďż˝rzech) adjectives as instrumental as genetive as genetive Vocative nouns as locative as nominative if nominative ends in a -o (rarely -u) rest as dative as nominative adjectives as nominative

Legend  

darker blue shaded boxes Remember consonant changes (dź→dzi, ć→ci, ƒ→ni, ś→si, ź→zi) white font color Remember to add an i after g and k! * Insert before singular endings -ďż˝i- (-eni-), and before plural endings -ďż˝- (-on-), (-t for genetive plural)