Accusative case (IV)

FUNCTION

The accusative case is used to mark the direct object of a transitive verb. In simpler words – when a given item (or person) is the object of our action, then the word is used in accusative case.  The action might be taking, reading, giving, reading, beating, cooking, watching or even having as well as many others. 

 

 INFLECTION

It’s quite easy to form accusative forms. When a noun finishes in A, change it to Ę.

NOMINATIVE	ACCUSATIVE
woda	wodę
siostra	siostrę
herbata	herbatę
kierowca	kierowcę

 

When it has another ending, don’t change it.

samochód	samochód
nóż	nóż
biurko	biurko

Different declination applies to animate masculine nouns (for people and animals). Then add –A to the basic form.

dyrektor	dyrektora
aktor	aktora
prezydent	prezydenta
brat	brata
kot	kota
koń	konia
tygrys	tygrysa

 

Some other nouns of foreign origin might also belong to this group.

banan	banana
pomidor	pomidora
e-mail	e-maila
hamburger	hamburgera
drink	drinka
Volkswagen	Volkswagena

 

PLURAL
In plural, the form stays the same as nominative with exception of nouns referring to people. Then the ending -ÓW is added to the singular nominative form.

NOMINATIVE SINGULAR	NOMINARTIVE PLURAL	ACCUSATIVE PLURAL
aktor	aktorzy	aktorów
mistrz	mistrzowie	mistrzów
dyrektor	dyrektorzy	dyrektorów
Polak	Polacy	Polaków

ROOT CHANGES IN NOUN DECLENSION