DECLENSIONS (the difference between suffixes)

♂

Jan 2, 10, 22:36 #1

I'm probably not the first nor the last one to ask for help with this specific topic.
I'm using Livemocha.com's Polish 101 course, and even though it's a nice way of enhancing the vocabulary, there are no real grammar classes and tools.. so I'm having quie a hard time with the declensions.

This is part of my last submission:

Sekretarka nie jest na żółta kanapie. Ona jest na brązowy krześle.

Yes, I know I have got some mistakes.
I got help from a few people, saying that it should be żółtej and brązowym, and someone added that the difference between the suffixes has to do with the difference between the questions jakiej and jakim.

So.. what exactly IS the difference between these suffixes? Don't both sentences answer the same question (gdzie jest?)

Thank you!!

BrutalButcherThreads: 1 Posts: 623 Joined: Nov 10, 09 ♂	Jan 2, 10, 22:41 #2
I think jakiej is used for female words, hence :zolta=zoltej And Jakim is for male words, thus, brazowy=brazowym. Notice how the ending of the question words hints at the declination. Just my 2 cents.

LenkaThreads: - Posts: 241 Joined: Nov 17, 09 ♀	Jan 2, 10, 22:41 #3
It's because of cases and gender.Try to find some course that will teach you also grammar.

MEMBER ♂

Edited by: Torq Jan 2, 10, 22:44 #4

Ohamer:

So.. what exactly IS the difference between these suffixes? Don't both sentences answer the same question (gdzie jest?)

The adjective has to agree in gender with the noun it describes, hence
we have "żółtej", because "kanapa" is feminine, and "brązowym" because
"krzesło" is neuter.

If the couch was brown and the chair was yellow, we would have "brązowej"
and "żółtym".

Simple as that ;)

Here's a useful site for declensions (it gives all possible declensions, without
describing their grammar usage though).

http://www.odmiana.iorg.pl/?q=%BF%F3%B3ty

BrutalButcherThreads: 1 Posts: 623 Joined: Nov 10, 09 ♂	Jan 2, 10, 22:47 #5
So I was right.

LenkaThreads: - Posts: 241 Joined: Nov 17, 09 ♀	Jan 2, 10, 22:48 #6
Also cases: Mianownik:żółta kanapa Dopełniacz:żółtej kanapy Celownik:żółtej kanapie Biernik:żółtą kanapę Narzędnik:żółtą kanapą Miejscownik:żółtej kanapie

♂

Jan 2, 10, 22:49 #7

Torq:

Ohamer:
So.. what exactly IS the difference between these suffixes? Don't both sentences answer the same question (gdzie jest?)

The adjective has to agree in gender with the noun it describes, hence
we have "żółtej", because "kanapa" is feminine, and "brązowym" because
"krzesło" is neuter.

If the couch was brown and the chair was yellow we would have "brązowej"
and "żółtym".

Simple as that ;)

Here's a useful site for declensions (it gives all possible declensions, without
describing their grammar usage though).

http://www.odmiana.iorg.pl/?q=%BF%F3%B3ty

Wow.. that's it?
I should've guessed that by now.. thanks.
so it's żółtej for female and żółtym for neuter and male?
Or is there a male from as well?
hmm.. and I guess plurals have also got their own form, right?

MEMBER ♂

Edited by: Torq Jan 2, 10, 22:53 #8

Lenka:

Also cases:
Mianownik:żółta kanapa
Dopełniacz:żółtej kanapy
Celownik:żółtej kanapie
Biernik:żółtą kanapę
Narzędnik:żółtą kanapą
Miejscownik:żółtej kanapie

That's right.

It has to be a nightmare for an English speaker to learn all the declensions,
conjugations, exceptions and oddities in a language that is, in addition to
a complicated grammar, very different phonetically to English.

They should give a special medal for bravery for every foreigner who attempts
to learn Polish ;)

Ohamer:

so it's żółtej for female and żółtym for neuter and male?

Yip.

Ohamer:

hmm.. and I guess plurals have also got their own form, right?

Correct.

SzwedwPolsceThreads: 13 Posts: 1,915 Joined: Feb 21, 09 ♂	Jan 3, 10, 02:30 #9
Ohamer: so it's żółtej for female and żółtym for neuter and male? It depend on which grammatical case you have, there are 7 of them. You need a good book that explains the grammar well.

♀

Jan 4, 10, 13:11 #10

Torq:

It has to be a nightmare for an English speaker to learn all the declensions,
conjugations, exceptions and oddities in a language that is, in addition to
a complicated grammar, very different phonetically to English.

It is...but having some very good books, and of course this forum helps!!

Torq:

They should give a special medal for bravery for every foreigner who attempts
to learn Polish ;)

:):):):)

Lyzko	Jan 4, 10, 20:28 #11
..to which I might (re-)add that German is no less difficult, but for different reasons. See "Off Topic" message posts for my complete reply. LOL :-)

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