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 – masculine personal, masculine animate and masculine inanimate. The differences between them are regular:

• In the case of masculine personal, the accusative has the same form as the genitive
• In the case of masculine animate, the accusative has the same form as the genitive in the singular, but as the nominative in the plural
• In the case of masculine inanimate, the accusative has the same form as the nominative
• 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.

Masculine personal	Boy		Farmer		Chris		Guy		Engineer
	Singular	Plural	Singular	Plural	Singular	Plural	Singular	Plural	Singular	Plural
Nominative	Chłopak	Chłopaki	Rolnik	Rolnicy	Krzyś	Krzysie	Facet	Faceci	Inżynier	Inżynierowie or Inżynierzy
Acc./Gen.	Chłopaka	Chłopaków	Rolnika	Rolników	Krzysia	Krzysiów	Faceta	Facetów	Inżyniera	Inżynierów
Dative	Chłopakowi	Chłopakom	Rolnikowi	Rolnikom	Krzysiowi	Krzysiom	Facetowi	Facetom	Inżynierowi	Inżynierom
Instrumental	Chłopakiem	Chłopakami	Rolnikiem	Rolnikami	Krzysiem	Krzysiami	Facetem	Facetami	Inżynierem	Inżynierami
Locative	Chłopaku	Chłopakach	Rolniku	Rolnikach	Krzysiu	Krzysiach	Facecie	Facetach	Inżynierze	Inżynierach
Vocative		Chłopaki		Rolnicy		Krzysie		Faceci		Inżynierowie

Masculine animate	Cat		Dog
	Singular	Plural	Singular	Plural
Nominative	Kot	Koty	Pies	Psy
Accusative	Kota		Psa
Genitive		Kotów		Psów
Dative	Kotu	Kotom	Psu	Psom
Instrumental	Kotem	Kotami	Psem	Psami
Locative	Kocie	Kotach	Psie	Psach
Vocative		Koty		Psy

Masculine inanimate	Computer		Table
	Singular	Plural	Singular	Plural
Nom./Acc.	Komputer	Komputery	Stół	Stoły
Genitive	Komputera	Komputerów	Stołu	Stołów
Dative	Komputerowi	Komputerom	Stołowi	Stołom
Instrumental	Komputerem	Komputerami	Stołem	Stołami
Locative	Komputerze	Komputerach	Stole	Stołach
Vocative		Komputery		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.
• Very few masculine nouns have a singular dative in "u" instead in "owi". However, they are really common words - Pan (literally lord, nobleman, master - a very important word because it is used exactly as the English pronoun "You" to express politeness e.g "Podać Panu kawę? Could you take some coffee, sir?) brat (brother), kot (cat), pies (dog) and Bóg (God). As you see, apart from unusual dative ending in all of them declension is connected with unpleasant stem alternations, resulting from various historical processes e.g. consonant cluster softening, compensatory lengthening, development of Slavonic semi-vowels (jery)
• Some inanimate-masculine nouns have a singular genitive in "u", most others in "a".

Now some sentences:

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

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