Learn Hardcore Polish: W tej kawiarni sól i pieprz stoją na każdym stole. - In this café, salt and pepper stand on every table.

So Sól i pieprz stoją… tells you the salt and pepper shakers are standing upright on the tables. You could use są (“are”) to make a more general existence statement, but it’s less specific and less natural here. If they were packets lying flat, you’d say leżą.

Why is the verb plural (stoją)?

Because the subject is a compound: sól i pieprz (“salt and pepper”). With two (or more) nouns joined by i (“and”), Polish normally uses a plural verb: stoją. In the past tense this would also show non‑masculine‑personal plural agreement: Sól i pieprz stały na stole.

Can I say singular stoi: “Na każdym stole stoi sól i pieprz”?

Yes—when the verb comes first and the subject is an enumeration after it, Polish often uses a singular verb (this is common and accepted):

Na każdym stole stoi sól i pieprz.
You can also say: Na każdym stole stoją sól i pieprz. Both are correct. But if the subject comes first (as in your original sentence), you must use the plural: Sól i pieprz stoją…

What case is w tej kawiarni, and why?

It’s locative. The preposition w (“in”) takes the locative for static location (“where?”). Kawiarnia (café) is feminine; its locative is kawiarni, and the determiner agrees: tej is the feminine locative form of “this.” So: w tej kawiarni = “in this café.”

Why na każdym stole and not na każdy stół?

na + locative = location (“where?”): na każdym stole = “on every table.”
na + accusative = direction/motion (“onto where?”): na każdy stół = “onto each table” (e.g., when placing something there).

Your sentence describes location, so it’s locative.

What form is każdym, and how does każdy decline?

Każdym is the locative (also instrumental) masculine/neuter singular form of każdy (“every/each”), agreeing with stole (locative singular of “table”). Examples:

locative: w każdym domu, na każdym stole
instrumental: z każdym studentem Base forms: każdy (m), każda (f), każde (n).

Why is it stole and not stół?

It’s the locative singular of stół (“table”). This noun is irregular:

nominative: stół
locative: stole (note two changes: ó → o and ł → l)
genitive: stołu These vowel/consonant shifts are a normal part of Polish inflection.

What are the genders of sól and pieprz, and do they affect agreement?

sól = feminine (genitive: soli)
pieprz = masculine inanimate (genitive: pieprzu) Together they make a non‑masculine‑personal plural subject, so in the past tense the verb would be plural non‑masculine‑personal: stały (not stali). In the present, the plural form is just stoją.

Does sól i pieprz mean the shakers, not the substances?

Yes, that’s how it’s commonly understood in context. It’s metonymy: sól i pieprz stands for solniczka i pieprzniczka (the shakers). If you want to be explicit, you can say: W tej kawiarni solniczka i pieprzniczka stoją na każdym stoliku.

Is stół the most natural word in a café? What about stolik?

In cafés people often say stolik (a small table). Both are correct, but stolik sounds more “café‑like.” Your sentence would then be: W tej kawiarni sól i pieprz stoją na każdym stoliku.

Can I say przy każdym stole?

Przy means “by/at (beside).” Przy każdym stole = “by each table,” which is used for things standing next to a table (e.g., a lamp). Since the salt and pepper are on top, use na każdym stole/stoliku.

Can the word order change?

Yes—Polish word order is flexible and used for emphasis:

Sól i pieprz stoją na każdym stole w tej kawiarni. (neutral, subject first)
W tej kawiarni sól i pieprz stoją na każdym stole. (sets the scene first)
Na każdym stole w tej kawiarni stoi/stoją sól i pieprz. (focus on location) All are fine; the meaning stays the same.

Pronunciation tips for tricky bits?

ó sounds like “u”: sól ≈ “sul.”
rz is like “zh,” but word‑final it devoices; pieprz ≈ “PYE‑psh.”
ą in stoją sounds like nasal “on/om”: sto‑yon.
ł sounds like English “w” (e.g., stół ≈ “stoo‑w”), but in stole it becomes l.
w is pronounced like “v”: w tej ≈ “v tey.”

Why tej and not ta or tym?

Because kawiarnia is feminine and we’re in the locative case after w. The feminine locative (and genitive/dative) form of “this” is tej.

nominative: ta kawiarnia
locative: w tej kawiarni
masculine/neuter locative would be w tym…

What’s the difference between każdym (“every”) and wszystkich (“all”) here?

They’re close in meaning, but:

na każdym stole = “on every table” (emphasizes each individual table)
na wszystkich stołach = “on all the tables” (emphasizes the total set) Both are natural.

Could I use jest/są instead of stoi/stoją?

Yes, to make a more neutral existence statement:

Na każdym stole jest sól i pieprz (singular is common when the subject follows).
Na każdym stole są sól i pieprz is also correct. But stoi/stoją adds the natural “standing” posture nuance preferred for shakers.