Breakdown of Ser z tego rynku jest lepszy niż ser w sklepie obok domu.
być
to be
dom
the house
sklep
the store
w
in
ten
this
lepszy
better
rynek
the market
ser
the cheese
z
from
niż
than
obok
near
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Questions & Answers about Ser z tego rynku jest lepszy niż ser w sklepie obok domu.
Why is it z tego rynku and not ze tego rynku?
z is the base preposition meaning from. You use z before words starting with a vowel or a single consonant (here t + e in tego). Ze is required before words beginning with two or more consonants (e.g. ze straganu, ze sklepu). In all cases, z/ze governs the genitive, so z tego rynku is correct.
Why is tego used instead of ten in z tego rynku?
The preposition z triggers the genitive case. The demonstrative pronoun ten (nom. sg. m.) changes to tego in genitive. Similarly, rynek (nom. sg.) changes to rynku in genitive. So z tego rynku means “from this market.”
Which case is rynku, and how do we form it?
rynku is genitive singular of rynek. For many masculine nouns ending in a consonant, the genitive singular is formed by adding -u: rynek → rynku.
Why do we use niż instead of od for the comparison?
In standard Polish, comparatives with adjectives and adverbs use the conjunction niż (equivalent to than). Many speakers say od colloquially (lepszy od), but niż is the prescriptive norm, so lepszy niż is preferred in formal writing.
Do we have to repeat ser after niż? How else could we express it?
You don’t have to repeat ser if context is clear. Options:
• Use a demonstrative pronoun: Ser z tego rynku jest lepszy niż ten w sklepie obok domu.
• Omit the noun entirely: Ser z tego rynku jest lepszy niż w sklepie obok domu.
Repeating ser (or using ten) helps avoid ambiguity.
Which case does sklepie have in w sklepie, and why?
sklepie is locative singular of sklep. The preposition w meaning in takes the locative to indicate a static location: w sklepie = in the shop.
Why is domu used in obok domu, and which case is that?
The preposition obok (next to) requires the genitive case. dom (nom. sg.) becomes domu (gen. sg.): obok domu = next to the house.
Why doesn’t Polish use articles like the or a here?
Polish has no grammatical articles. Definiteness is inferred from context or expressed with words like ten (this) or jakiś (some). In this sentence, z tego rynku and w sklepie obok domu already specify “this market” and “the shop next to the house,” so no article is needed.