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Questions & Answers about Każde drzewo ma liście.
What does każde mean and why is it used here instead of każdy?
każde is the neuter singular form of the indefinite pronoun/adjective meaning “each” or “every.” It agrees with drzewo, which is a neuter singular noun in the nominative case. każdy would be the masculine form and doesn’t match drzewo.
Why is the verb ma in the singular, and what is its infinitive?
ma is the 3rd person singular present tense of mieć (to have). Because the subject każde drzewo is singular, the verb must also be singular. If the subject were plural (e.g. drzewa), you would say mają.
What gender is drzewo, and how do you form its plural?
drzewo is a neuter noun (nominative singular ends in -o). Its nominative plural is drzewa, formed by replacing -o with -a.
What case and number is liście, and why does it have that ending?
liście is the accusative plural of liść (leaf), serving as the direct object of mać. Masculine inanimate nouns like liść use the same form in nominative and accusative plural, hence liście.
Where are the articles in this sentence? How do you express “a” or “the” in Polish?
Polish has no definite or indefinite articles. You simply say drzewo for “a tree” or “the tree.” If you need to specify, you add demonstratives (e.g. to drzewo = “that tree”) or quantifiers (e.g. jakieś drzewo = “some tree”).
Could I say Każde drzewo ma swoje liście? What does swoje do here?
Yes. swoje is the reflexive possessive pronoun meaning “its own.” Każde drzewo ma swoje liście emphasizes that each tree has its own leaves (not someone else’s).
What’s the difference between każde drzewo ma liście and wszystkie drzewa mają liście?
Każde drzewo ma liście (“each tree has leaves”) treats every tree individually and takes singular verb agreement. Wszystkie drzewa mają liście (“all trees have leaves”) refers to the entire group and uses plural agreement.