Understanding Polish Adjective Agreement
In Polish, adjectives are words that describe nouns, like 'big' or 'red'. To match the noun they describe, adjectives need to change their form. This is called adjective agreement. Adjectives in Polish agree with the noun in gender, number, and case.
Polish nouns can be masculine, feminine, or neuter. Adjectives must match the gender of the noun they describe.
Examples
- Duży pies (A big dog - masculine)
- Duża kotka (A big cat - feminine)
- Duże okno (A big window - neuter)
Adjectives also need to match the noun in number. This means they change if the noun is singular or plural.
Examples
- Mały dom (A small house - singular)
- Małe domy (A small houses - plural)
Polish nouns and adjectives change their form depending on their role in the sentence. This is called case. There are seven cases in Polish, and adjectives must match the noun in case.
Examples
- Widzę nowego psa (I see a new dog - accusative case)
- Jestem mądrym dzieckiem (I am a smart child - instrumental case)
Tips for Adjective Agreement
Important Points
- Always check the gender of the noun.
- Look at whether the noun is singular or plural.
- Determine the case based on the noun's role in the sentence.
- Practice with different nouns to get comfortable with the changes.