Verbs and direct object

General questions Language learning tips Polish

asked by
Nico published
about 2 months ago

Dear Team

Please, can you advise whether there are any resources or tips to find which Polish verbs require the genitive (dopełniacz) case instead of the accusative (biernik) case to express the direct object within a sentence?
For example:

I eat a soup is translated into Polish as "jem zupę" where zupę is in the accusative (biernik) case
I listen to music is translated into Polish as "słucham muzyki" where muzyki is in the genitive (dopełniacz) case.

Thank you for your help!

Kind regards,
Nico

1 answer

answered by
Pawel published
about 11 hours ago

Hi Nico,

Apologies for being so late.

In Polish, the choice between the genitive (dopełniacz) and accusative (biernik) cases for verbs can sometimes be tricky. There are certain verbs that require the genitive case to express the direct object, even though you might expect the accusative.

A good way to learn which verbs take the genitive is to look for resources like grammar books or online guides specifically focused on case usage with verbs. Some common verbs that take the genitive case include słuchać (to listen to), potrzebować (to need), bać się (to be afraid of), and obawiać się (to fear).

You can also practice with examples like:

słucham muzyki (I listen to music), where muzyki is in the genitive.
potrzebuję książki (I need a book), where książki is in the genitive.

If you are not sure how to build the case, please check this website, https://odmiana.net

Verbs and direct object

Your answer