Na stole leżą talerz i łyżka.

On the table there are a plate and a spoon.

Breakdown of Na stole leżą talerz i łyżka.

• i: and
• na: on
• stół: the table
• leżeć: to lie
• talerz: the plate
• łyżka: the spoon

Questions & Answers about Na stole leżą talerz i łyżka.

Why is it bolded Na stole and not bolded na stół?

Because bolded na uses two different cases depending on meaning:

• Static location (on, at): bolded na + Locative → bolded Na stole (They are on the table).
• Movement onto: bolded na + Accusative → bolded na stół (I’m putting it onto the table). Your sentence describes location, so it takes the Locative: bolded stole.

What case is bolded stole, and how do we get from bolded stół to bolded stole?

Bolded stole is Locative singular of bolded stół. The stem changes are regular for this noun:

• Nominative: bolded stół
• Genitive: bolded stołu
• Locative: bolded stole (ó → o, ł → l, and the -e ending) The Locative form appears after prepositions like bolded na when they denote location.

Why is the verb plural bolded leżą and not singular bolded leży?

The subject is compound: bolded talerz i łyżka (two items). In Polish, the verb agrees with the whole subject, so you need 3rd person plural: bolded leżą. Singular bolded leży would be ungrammatical here.

Is bolded Na stole leży talerz i łyżka ever acceptable?

With bolded leżeć, no—use the plural bolded leżą. You may sometimes hear singular bolded jest with two nouns in existential sentences (e.g., bolded Na stole jest talerz i łyżka), which is common in speech but avoided in careful writing. That tolerance doesn’t extend to bolded leżeć: bolded leży with two subjects sounds wrong.

Can I use bolded są instead of bolded leżą?

Yes. Bolded Na stole są talerz i łyżka is grammatical and neutral (“A plate and a spoon are on the table”). Bolded leżą adds the nuance that they’re lying flat. Both are fine; choose based on whether you want the posture nuance.

When do I use bolded leżą versus bolded stoją?

• Bolded leżeć (lie): objects resting flat/horizontally (bolded talerz leży, łyżka leży, książka leży).
• Bolded stać (stand): objects upright on a base (bolded kubek stoi, butelka stoi, wazon stoi). So a plate and a spoon naturally bolded leżą.

Why don’t we say “a/the” plate and spoon? How do I make them specific?

Polish has no articles. To specify, use demonstratives:

• “the plate and the spoon” ≈ bolded ten talerz i ta łyżka
• “this plate and this spoon” = bolded ten talerz i ta łyżka / ten talerz i ta łyżka tutaj Without determiners, bolded talerz i łyżka can mean “a plate and a spoon” or “the plate and the spoon,” depending on context.

What genders are bolded talerz and bolded łyżka, and does that matter?

• Bolded talerz: masculine inanimate
• Bolded łyżka: feminine It matters for agreement with adjectives and past-tense verbs. Example:
• Present: bolded leżą
• Past (non-masculine-personal plural): bolded leżały As adjectives: bolded duży talerz, mała łyżka; together in plural they take non-masculine-personal forms.

Why are bolded talerz and bolded łyżka in the base form (not bolded talerzem/łyżką or bolded łyżkę)?

They’re the subject, so they’re in the Nominative: bolded talerz, bolded łyżka. Bolded leżeć doesn’t take a direct object. Instrumental (bolded talerzem, łyżką) would mean “with a plate/spoon” or serve as a predicate with bolded być. Accusative (bolded łyżkę) is for direct objects, e.g., bolded Kładę łyżkę na stół.

Can I change the word order?

Yes. All of these are grammatical, with slight differences in emphasis:

• Bolded Talerz i łyżka leżą na stole. (neutral order)
• Bolded Na stole leżą talerz i łyżka. (focuses on location)
• Bolded Na stole są talerz i łyżka. (neutral, with bolded są) Polish word order is flexible and often reflects what’s new or emphasized information.

How do I pronounce the special letters here?

• Bolded ł = like English “w”: bolded łyżka ≈ “WIH-zh-kah”
• Bolded ż = “zh” as in “vision”: bolded leżą, łyżka
• Bolded ą = nasal vowel; at word end often sounds like “on/om”: bolded leżą ≈ “LEH-zhon”
• Stress is almost always on the second-to-last syllable: na STO-le LE-żą TA-lerz i ŁY-żka

Could I use a different conjunction than bolded i?

• Bolded i is the default “and.”
• Bolded oraz is a bit more formal/literary but also means “and.”
• Bolded a often contrasts or juxtaposes (“and/while/but”): bolded Na stole leży talerz, a łyżka w szufladzie. Don’t use bolded a for a simple additive list unless you want contrast.

Why is there no comma before bolded i?

Polish doesn’t use a comma before bolded i in a simple coordination of two items. No “Oxford comma” here. You’d use commas in longer lists or when clauses require it, but not in this sentence.

What’s the difference between bolded na stole and bolded przy stole?

• Bolded na stole = on the surface of the table (location on top).
• Bolded przy stole = by/at the table (next to it; typically for people: bolded Siedzimy przy stole; or objects placed beside it).

How do I say this in the past or make it a yes/no question?

• Past: bolded Na stole leżały talerz i łyżka.
• Future: bolded Na stole będą leżeć talerz i łyżka.
• Yes/no question: bolded Czy na stole leżą talerz i łyżka? (You can also just use rising intonation: bolded Na stole leżą talerz i łyżka?)