The Genitive Case: Possession, Absence, and More
The Genitive case indicates possession (like 'of' or 's), absence (with bez - without), origin (with z/ze - from), or location at/having ('at' or 'have' with u). Its primary role is showing belonging or relation, or being required by certain prepositions.
Nouns: Endings vary based on gender, number, and hard/soft stem.
- Singular Masculine/Neuter: ending -a or -u. (e.g., dom brata - brother's house, książka nauczyciela - teacher's book, okno miasta - city window, kwiat pola - field flower)
- Singular Feminine: ending -y, -i, or -ej (after a vowel). (e.g., książka siostry - sister's book, głos ziemi - voice of the earth)
- Plural (all genders): Variable, often -ów (masculine), -y (feminine), or a zero ending (neuter and some feminines). (e.g., dom studentów - students' house, książka nauczycieli - teachers' book, książka kobietø - women's book, okno miastø - city windows)
Adjectives:
- Singular (all genders): ending -ego (masculine/neuter), -ej (feminine). (e.g., dom dobrego brata - house of a good brother, książka nowej nauczycielki - book of a new teacher, okno ostatniego miasta - window of the last city)
- Plural (all genders): ending -ych or -ich. (e.g., dom dobrych braci - house of good brothers, książka ostatnich nauczycieli - book of the last teachers)
Prepositions: Used after bez (without), z/ze (from), u (at/by/have), and others like do (to/until), od (from).
Examples: To jest praca mojego ojca (This is my father's work). Ja jestem z miasta (I am from the city). U mnie jest zegarek (I have a watch - literally "At me there is a watch"). Oni jadą bez wody (They are going without water). Widziałem wiele pięknych kobiet (I saw many beautiful women).