Personal Pronouns

Frequently asked questions

When is Zaimki osobowe used?

Polish has 7 personal pronouns . The 3rd person plural has two forms: oni (groups including at least one male) and one (all-female or non-human groups).

How is Zaimki osobowe formed?

Formal address: Use pan (sir) / pani (madam) + 3rd person verb, like Czech vy/pan(í). Ty is informal only.

What are common mistakes with Zaimki osobowe?

The oni/one distinction is unique — oni for groups with at least one male, one for all-female groups. Using Pan/Pani for formal address requires 3rd person verbs, not 2nd. English speakers: Forget the oni/one distinction (English uses 'they' for both). Use ty for formal situations (should be Pan/Pani). Russian speakers: Handle on/ona/ono easily (same system). But formal Pan/Pani is different from Russian вы (which uses 2nd person verb). Czech speakers: Similar system (on/ona/ono, oni/ony), and Pan/Paní works the same way. Near-zero transfer effort.