A2 Polish GrammarObject Pronouns (Accusative & Dative)
Master Polish object pronouns in accusative and dative cases. Learn direct object forms (mnie, cię, go) and indirect object forms (mi, ci, mu). Understand when to use long vs. short forms and where to place pronouns in sentences for natural Polish speech.
1Accusative Object Pronouns (Direct Object)
Accusative pronouns replace direct objects - the thing or person directly receiving the action. Widzę go (I see him), Znam ją (I know her). Short forms (go, ją) are most common; long forms (jego, niego) are used for emphasis or after prepositions.
Accusative Pronouns
| Person | Short Form | Long Form | After Prep. |
|---|---|---|---|
| me | mnie | mnie | mnie |
| you (sg.) | cię | ciebie | ciebie |
| him/it | go | jego | niego |
| her/it | ją | ją | nią |
Examples
Widzę cię.
I see you.
cię - short accusative form
Kocham go bardzo.
I love him very much.
go - him (short form)
Znam ją od lat.
I've known her for years.
ją - her (accusative)
Robię to dla ciebie.
I'm doing this for you.
ciebie - after preposition
2Dative Object Pronouns (Indirect Object)
Dative pronouns indicate the recipient of an action - 'to whom' something is done. Dałem mu książkę (I gave him a book). Dative is used with verbs of giving, telling, showing. Short forms (mi, ci, mu) are common; long forms for emphasis.
Dative Pronouns
| Person | Short Form | Long Form | After Prep. |
|---|---|---|---|
| to me | mi | mnie | mnie |
| to you (sg.) | ci | tobie | tobie |
| to him | mu | jemu | niemu |
| to her | jej | jej | niej |
Examples
Daj mi wodę.
Give me water.
mi - to me (dative)
Powiem ci prawdę.
I'll tell you the truth.
ci - to you (dative)
Kupiłem mu prezent.
I bought him a present.
mu - to him (dative)
Pomogę jej jutro.
I'll help her tomorrow.
jej - to her (dative)
3Plural Object Pronouns
Plural forms follow similar patterns. Nas (us), was (you pl.), ich (them) work for both accusative and genitive. For dative: nam (to us), wam (to you), im (to them). Third person plural uses different forms based on case.
Plural Object Pronouns
| Person | Accusative | Dative | After Prep. |
|---|---|---|---|
| us | nas | nam | nas |
| you (pl.) | was | wam | was |
| them | ich/je | im | nich/nie |
Examples
Czy widzisz nas?
Do you see us?
nas - us (accusative)
Dam wam klucze.
I'll give you (all) the keys.
wam - to you plural (dative)
Znam ich od dzieciństwa.
I've known them since childhood.
ich - them (accusative)
Pomogę im później.
I'll help them later.
im - to them (dative)
4Word Order with Pronouns
Short pronoun forms usually come before the main verb: Dałem mu to (I gave him this). After prepositions, use long forms: dla niego (for him). In questions and after czy, pronouns can move: Czy go znasz? Long forms are used for emphasis: Tobie dam, nie jemu.
Pronoun Position
| Context | Position | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Statement | before verb | Dałem mu. |
| Question | flexible | Czy go znasz? |
| Emphasis | sentence start | Tobie powiem. |
| After prep. | after prep. | dla niego |
Examples
Czy mi pomożesz?
Will you help me?
mi before verb in question
Jemu tego nie powiem.
I won't tell HIM this.
jemu - emphatic, at start
Rozmawiałem z nią wczoraj.
I talked with her yesterday.
nią - after preposition
Tobie dziękuję, nie jemu.
I thank YOU, not him.
contrast with long forms