Breakdown of Policjant stoi na rogu ulicy i pomaga rowerzystom.
i
and
na
on
ulica
the street
pomagać
to help
stać
to stand
policjant
the police officer
róg
the corner
rowerzysta
the cyclist
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Questions & Answers about Policjant stoi na rogu ulicy i pomaga rowerzystom.
What role does the word policjant play in this sentence, and what case/form is it?
Policjant is the subject (the doer of the actions stoi and pomaga). It’s in the nominative singular masculine form, which is used for sentence subjects in Polish.
Why do we use stoi here instead of jest?
Stoi is from the verb stać (“to stand”), emphasizing the action of standing at the corner. Jest (“to be”) would only state existence or location without that nuance of standing.
What case is na rogu, and why?
Na rogu uses the locative case, singular of róg (“corner”), because the preposition na when indicating location requires the locative case.
Why is ulicy in the genitive case?
In na rogu ulicy (“on the corner of the street”), ulicy is genitive singular of ulica (“street”). The genitive is used here to show that the corner belongs to the street—“corner of the street.”
What case is rowerzystom, and why is it used?
Rowerzystom is the dative plural of rowerzysta (“cyclist”). The verb pomagać (“to help”) always takes its object in the dative case: you help to someone.
How do you form the dative plural for a masculine animate noun like rowerzysta?
You start with the nominative plural rowerzyści, then change the ending -i to -om, giving rowerzystom.
Could you use another preposition instead of na for “at the corner”? For example, przy rogu?
Yes. Przy rogu ulicy also means “at the corner of the street.” Przy plus the locative case (rogu) conveys being next to or by something.
What’s the difference between the prepositions na and w in location phrases?
Na often means “on” (a surface) or “at” (a point, like a corner), while w means “in” (an enclosed space). You say na rogu (“at the corner”) but w ulicy is incorrect; to say “in the street” you’d still use na ulicy, as Polish treats streets like surfaces.
Can the word order change? For instance, Na rogu ulicy stoi policjant i pomaga rowerzystom?
Yes, Polish word order is flexible. Starting with Na rogu ulicy highlights the location first. The meaning remains the same.