Genitive Case
Genitive case for possession and negation in Polish
I can use genitive for possession, negation, and numbers
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
Dom ojca.
My father's house.
Nie mam czasu.
I don't have time.
Pięć jabłek.
Five apples.
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
Dopełniacz — Genitive Case
The genitive (dopełniacz) is the most-used case in Polish. It marks possession, absence, and appears after numbers 5+.
| Gender | Nom. | Gen. | Ending |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masc. (anim.) | kot | kota | -a |
| Masc. (inanim.) | dom | domu | -u / -a |
| Fem. | kawa | kawy | -y / -i |
| Neut. | piwo | piwa | -a |
Uses: possession (dom ojca — father's house), nie ma + gen. (there is no), 5+ (pięć jabłek — five apples), negated accusative → genitive (nie mam czasu — I don't have time).
Masculine inanimate -u vs -a has no reliable rule — must memorize.
Dom ojca.
My father's house.
Possession: ojciec → ojca (genitive masculine -a).
Nie mam czasu.
I don't have time.
Negation turns accusative to genitive: czas → czasu (nie mam czasu).
Pięć jabłek.
Five apples.
Numbers 5+ take genitive plural: jabłko → jabłek.
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises
Put it into practice
Try a free exercise from the courseFrequently asked questions
- When is Dopełniacz used?
- The genitive (dopełniacz) is the most-used case in Polish. It marks possession, absence, and appears after numbers 5+.
- How is Dopełniacz formed?
- Uses: possession (dom ojca — father's house), nie ma + gen. (there is no), 5+ (pięć jabłek — five apples), negated accusative → genitive (nie mam czasu — I don't have time).
- What are common mistakes with Dopełniacz?
- The hardest part is masculine inanimate -u vs -a — there's no reliable rule, must memorize. Also, negation changes accusative to genitive: mam czas → nie mam czasu. English speakers: English uses 'of' or possessive 's — no case endings. Negation+genitive is totally foreign. Russian speakers: Russian genitive (родительный) works identically — нет времени = nie ma czasu. Very strong transfer. Czech speakers: Czech 2. pád is the same — nemám času, pět jablek. Near-identical usage and endings.