Polish/Masculine noun declension

< Feminine noun declension < ^ Polish ^ > Neuter noun declension >

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Masculine noun declension

There are three masculine genders in Polish - person-masculine, animate-masculine and inanimate-masculine. The differences between them are regular:

• In the case of inanimate-masculine, the accusative has the same form as the nominative
• In the case of person-masculine, the accusative has the same form as the genitive
• In the case of animate-masculine, the accusative has the same form as the genitive in the singular, but as the nominative in the plural
• Vocative singular is always the same as locative singular and vocative plural is the same as nominative plural.

But there are also some other differences in declension. Before they get explained, let's take a look at some examples.

Boy (person-masculine)
	Singular	Plural
Nominative	Chłopak	Chłopaki
Genitive	Chłopaka	Chłopaków
Dative	Chłopakowi	Chłopakom
Accusative	Chłopaka	Chłopaków
Instrumental	Chłopakiem	Chłopakami
Locative	Chłopaku	Chłopakach
Vocative	Chłopaku	Chłopaki
Farmer (person-masculine)
	Singular	Plural
Nominative	Rolnik	Rolnicy
Genitive	Rolnika	Rolników
Dative	Rolnikowi	Rolnikom
Accusative	Rolnika	Rolników
Instrumental	Rolnikiem	Rolnikami
Locative	Rolniku	Rolnikach
Vocative	Rolniku	Rolnicy
Chris (person-masculine)
	Singular	Plural
Nominative	Krzyś	Krzysie
Genitive	Krzysia	Krzysiów
Dative	Krzysiowi	Krzysiom
Accusative	Krzysia	Krzysiów
Instrumental	Krzysiem	Krzysiami
Locative	Krzysiu	Krzysiach
Vocative	Krzysiu	Krzysie
Guy (person-masculine)
	Singular	Plural
Nominative	Facet	Faceci
Genitive	Faceta	Facetów
Dative	Facetowi	Facetom
Accusative	Faceta	Facetów
Instrumental	Facetem	Facetami
Locative	Facecie	Facetach
Vocative	Facecie	Faceci
Engineer (person-masculine)
	Singular	Plural
Nominative	Inżynier	Inżynierowie or Inżynierzy
Genitive	Inżyniera	Inżynierów
Dative	Inżynierowi	Inżynierom
Accusative	Inżyniera	Inżynierów
Instrumental	Inżynierem	Inżynierami
Locative	Inżynierze	Inżynierach
Vocative	Inżynierze	Inżynierowie
Cat (animate-masculine)
	Singular	Plural
Nominative	Kot	Koty
Genitive	Kota	Kotów
Dative	Kotu	Kotom
Accusative	Kota	Koty
Instrumental	Kotem	Kotami
Locative	Kocie	Kotach
Vocative	Kocie	Koty
Dog (animate-masculine)
	Singular	Plural
Nominative	Pies	Psy
Genitive	Psa	Psów
Dative	Psu	Psom
Accusative	Psa	Psy
Instrumental	Psem	Psami
Locative	Psie	Psach
Vocative	Psie	Psy
Computer (inanimate-masculine)
	Singular	Plural
Nominative	Komputer	Komputery
Genitive	Komputera	Komputerów
Dative	Komputerowi	Komputerom
Accusative	Komputer	Komputery
Instrumental	Komputerem	Komputerami
Locative	Komputerze	Komputerach
Vocative	Komputerze	Komputery
Table (inanimate-masculine)
	Singular	Plural
Nominative	Stół	Stoły
Genitive	Stołu	Stołów
Dative	Stołowi	Stołom
Accusative	Stół	Stoły
Instrumental	Stołem	Stołami
Locative	Stole	Stołach
Vocative	Stole	Stoły

Phonetic changes and irregularities are:

• All "e" (or "ie") and "o"/"ó" changes in the singular nominative, and also the accusative if it has the same form as the nominative.
• The plural nominative isn't very regular. In the case of some nouns softening of the final consonant may be required. Some nouns even have two correct plural nominative forms - one with "owie" and another in a soft "e".
• Some nouns have a singular locative in "u", other have in "e", and in the case of the latter the final consonant group must be softened.
• Some nouns have a singular dative in "u" others in "owi".
• Some inanimate-masculine nouns have a singular genitive in "u", most others in "a".

Now some sentences:

• Pies jest pod stołem - The dog is under the table. (table in instrumental)
• Chłopak nie ma psa - The boy doesn't have a dog. (dog in genitive)
• Facet daje kotu mleko - The man gives milk to the cat. (cat in dative)
• Adam jest rolnikiem - Adam is a farmer. (farmer in instrumental)

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< Feminine noun declension < ^ Polish ^ > Neuter noun declension >