A1 Polish GrammarPlural Nouns
Form Polish noun plurals correctly. Learn the different plural endings for masculine, feminine, and neuter nouns. Master the special masculine personal plural forms used for groups of men.
1Masculine Plurals
Masculine nouns form plurals with -y or -i. Masculine personal nouns (men) have special forms ending in -i or -owie, and cause consonant changes. Non-personal masculine nouns use -y/-i.
Masculine Plural Endings
| Type | Singular | Plural | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| personal | student | studenci | students |
| personal | Polak | Polacy | Poles |
| personal (-owie) | pan | panowie | gentlemen |
| non-personal | stół | stoły | tables |
Examples
Ci studenci sÄ… inteligentni.
These students are intelligent.
student → studenci (k→c)
Moi bracia mieszkajÄ… w Krakowie.
My brothers live in Krakow.
brat → bracia
Te stoły są nowe.
These tables are new.
stół → stoły (non-personal)
WidzÄ™ dwa samochody.
I see two cars.
samochód → samochody
2Feminine Plurals
Feminine nouns ending in -a change to -y or -i in the plural. Those ending in -ka, -ga change to -ki, -gi. Soft consonant endings add -e. The pattern depends on the final consonant.
Feminine Plural Endings
| Singular Ending | Plural Ending | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -a (hard) | -y | kobieta → kobiety |
| -a (soft) | -e | ulica → ulice |
| -ka | -ki | książka → książki |
| -ość | -ości | możliwość → możliwości |
Examples
Te kobiety pracujÄ… tutaj.
These women work here.
kobieta → kobiety
Mam dwie książki.
I have two books.
książka → książki
Polskie ulice sÄ… wÄ…skie.
Polish streets are narrow.
ulica → ulice
Znam te dziewczyny.
I know these girls.
dziewczyna → dziewczyny
3Neuter Plurals
Neuter nouns ending in -o change to -a in the plural. Those ending in -e typically change to -a as well. This is one of the simpler plural patterns in Polish.
Neuter Plural Endings
| Singular Ending | Plural Ending | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -o | -a | okno → okna |
| -e | -a | pole → pola |
| -ę | -ęta | dziecię → dzieci(ęta) |
| -um | -a | muzeum → muzea |
Examples
Okna sÄ… brudne.
The windows are dirty.
okno → okna
Dzieci bawiÄ… siÄ™ w parku.
The children are playing in the park.
dziecko → dzieci
LubiÄ™ polskie piwa.
I like Polish beers.
piwo → piwa
Te słowa są trudne.
These words are difficult.
słowo → słowa
4Irregular Plurals
Some common nouns have irregular plural forms that must be memorized. These include words for body parts, family members, and everyday items.
Common Irregular Plurals
| Singular | Plural | English |
|---|---|---|
| człowiek | ludzie | person / people |
| rok | lata | year / years |
| dziecko | dzieci | child / children |
| oko | oczy | eye / eyes |
Examples
Dużo ludzi tam było.
Many people were there.
człowiek → ludzie (irregular)
Mam dwadzieścia lat.
I am twenty years old.
rok → lata (with numbers)
Masz piękne oczy.
You have beautiful eyes.
oko → oczy (irregular)
Moje ręce są zimne.
My hands are cold.
ręka → ręce