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Questions & Answers about Za domem jest park.
Why is domem in the instrumental case and not the nominative?
Polish preposition za when describing a static location (meaning “behind” something) requires the instrumental case. So the base noun dom (house) takes the instrumental ending -em to become domem. If you were talking about movement behind something (dynamic meaning), you would use the accusative instead (e.g. Przeskoczyłem za płot – I jumped over the fence).
Why is park in the nominative case after jest?
In this sentence park is the subject of jest (there is). Polish existential constructions with jest use the nominative for the entity that exists or is being introduced. (Note: jest can also take the instrumental for professions or roles, as in Ona jest nauczycielką – She is a teacher.)
Why is jest placed between Za domem and park, instead of at the beginning?
Polish word order is relatively flexible and listeners expect the “old information – verb – new information” pattern. Starting with Za domem (location you already know) and ending with park (new info) follows the natural flow. You could say Park jest za domem to emphasize the park, or in very informal contexts even drop jest: Za domem park (like a short label or headline).
Could I just say Park za domem to mean the same thing?
Yes, Park za domem is grammatically correct but without jest it sounds more like a label, title, or note (e.g. on a map). Adding jest makes it a full, standard sentence: Za domem jest park.
Can I use znajduje się instead of jest here?
Absolutely. Za domem znajduje się park is a more formal or descriptive way to say the same thing. Polish often uses znajduje się (is located) in written texts, guides, and formal descriptions.
Why is there no word for the before park, like in English?
Polish doesn’t use articles (the, a, an). Definiteness and indefiniteness are understood from context alone. Za domem jest park can mean either there is a park behind the house or the park is behind the house, depending on what you already know.
How do you pronounce Za domem jest park and where is the stress?
Standard Polish stress falls on the penultimate syllable of a word. So you pronounce it roughly like [za ˈdɔ.mɛm jɛst park], with the stress on the DO- in domem.
Does za always mean “behind”?
Not always. Za is polysemous. In spatial contexts it usually means “behind” or “beyond,” but it can also mean “in exchange for” (e.g. Kupiłem to za pięć złotych – I bought it for five złoty) or introduce reasons (e.g. Został ukarany za spóźnienie – He was punished for being late).
Why can’t I use the locative case here, like za domu?
The locative (ending -u as in domu) is used with a small set of prepositions (e.g. w domu, o domu). Za is not one of them when expressing static location, so it requires the instrumental instead.