The Genitive Case: Possession, Absence, and More
The Genitive case indicates possession (like 'of' or 's), absence (with bjez - without), origin (with z/ze - from), or location at/having ('at' or 'have' with při). Its primary role is showing belonging or relation, or being required by certain prepositions. Upper Sorbian has singular, dual, and plural forms for the Genitive case.
Nouns: Endings vary based on gender, number, and hard/soft stem.
- Singular Masculine/Neuter: hard -a or -a, soft -a. (e.g., dom brata - brother's house, kniha učerja - teacher's book, wokno města - city window, barba pola - field color)
- Singular Feminine: hard -y or -e, soft -i. (e.g., kniha sotry - sister's book, hałs zemje - voice of the earth)
- Dual (all genders): hard/soft -ow. (e.g., domaj bratow - of two brothers, sotrje sotrow - of two sisters)
- Plural (all genders): Various endings, often -ow (masculine), or a zero ending (feminine and neuter). (e.g., domy bratow - of brothers, knihy učerjow - of teachers, knihy žonow - of women, wokna městow - of cities)
Adjectives:
- Singular (all genders): hard -eho, soft -eho. (e.g., dom dobreho brata - house of a good brother, kniha noweje učerki - book of a new female teacher, wokno cyzeho města - window of a foreign city)
- Dual (all genders): hard/soft -ich. (e.g., domaj dobrych bratow - of two good brothers, knihaj cyzich sotrow - of two foreign sisters)
- Plural (all genders): hard/soft -ych/-ich. (e.g., domy dobrych bratow - houses of good brothers, knihy cyzich učerjow - books of foreign teachers)
Prepositions: Used after bjez (without), z/ze (from), při (at/by/have), and others like do (to/until), wot (from).
Examples: To je dźěło mojeho wojca (This is my father's work). Ja sym z města (I am from the city). Při meni je hodźink (I have a watch - literally "At me there is a watch"). Woni jědźa bjez wody (They are going without water). Sym widźeł wjele rjanych žonow (I saw many beautiful women).