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Questions & Answers about Na stole jest kropla wody.
What does the phrase Na stole literally mean, and why is it stole?
It means “on the table.” With location, na takes the Locative case, so stół (table, nominative) changes to the Locative singular stole. Polish has no articles, so there’s no separate word for “the.”
Why is it na stole (Locative) and not na stół (Accusative)?
Polish uses:
- na
- Locative for a static location: Coś jest na stole (Something is on the table).
- na
- Accusative for movement onto a surface: Kładę to na stół (I put it onto the table).
Why is stole spelled with o and l, not ó and ł like stół?
It’s a stem alternation in declension. The nominative form is stół; in the Locative it becomes stole (ó → o, ł → l). Other cases keep ł, e.g., Instrumental stołem, Dative stołowi.
Why is it jest and not są?
Because the subject is singular (kropla, a drop). Use jest for singular and są for plural. For plural: Na stole są krople wody (There are drops of water on the table).
Is the word order fixed, or can I say it differently?
Word order is flexible. You can say:
- Na stole jest kropla wody (neutral, focuses on location first).
- Kropla wody jest na stole (emphasizes what is on the table).
- Jest kropla wody na stole (emphasizes existence).
All are correct; the choice tweaks emphasis.
Why is it wody and not woda?
After a measure/quantity noun like kropla, Polish uses the Genitive to mean “of.” So kropla wody literally means “a drop of water.” This is the same pattern as szklanka wody (a glass of water), butelka wody (a bottle of water).
Is wody plural here?
No. Here wody is Genitive singular of woda (water). Wody can also be Nominative plural (“waters”) in other contexts, but the “of water” meaning is Genitive singular.
How would I say “There are two drops of water on the table”?
Na stole są dwie krople wody.
Notes: dwie (not dwa) because kropla is feminine; krople is nominative plural; wody stays Genitive singular after a quantity.
How do I make it negative: “There isn’t a drop of water on the table”?
Na stole nie ma kropli wody.
Negation with nie ma requires the Genitive: kropli (Genitive singular of kropla) and wody (Genitive singular of woda).
Could I say kroplę instead of kropla here?
Not with jest. After jest, the subject stays in Nominative (kropla). Kroplę is Accusative and is used as a direct object, e.g., Widzę kroplę wody (I see a drop of water).
How do I ask a yes/no question: “Is there a drop of water on the table?”
Czy na stole jest kropla wody?
You can drop czy in casual speech: Na stole jest kropla wody? The intonation then carries the question.
Can I use adjectives? For example, “a small drop of cold water”?
Yes: Na stole jest mała kropla zimnej wody.
Agreement:
- mała (feminine nominative singular) modifies kropla.
- zimnej (feminine Genitive singular) modifies wody.
What’s the difference between Jest kropla wody and To jest kropla wody?
- Jest kropla wody = “There is a drop of water” (existence).
- To jest kropla wody = “This/that is a drop of water” (identification).
Your sentence uses the existential pattern with location: Na stole jest…
Could I use a different verb like znajduje się or leży?
- Na stole znajduje się kropla wody is correct but formal/stilted (“is located”).
- Na stole leży kropla wody sounds odd for a liquid drop; leży fits solid objects better. Jest is the most natural here.
How do I pronounce the components?
Approximate pronunciations:
- na: nah
- stole: STOH-leh
- jest: yest
- kropla: KROH-plah
- wody: VOH-dih (the final y is the Polish vowel y [ɨ], not like English “ee”).
Remember: Polish stress is usually on the second-to-last syllable.
What are the key case forms for kropla that I might need soon?
- Nominative sg: kropla (subject; e.g., Jest kropla…)
- Genitive sg: kropli (after negation/quantities; nie ma kropli…)
- Accusative sg: kroplę (as object; Widzę kroplę…)
- Nominative pl: krople (plural subject; Są krople…)
- Genitive pl: kropel (after numbers like kilka; kilka kropel wody)
Do I need a word for “a/the” in Polish here?
No. Polish has no articles. Na stole jest kropla wody can mean “There is a drop of water on the table,” context deciding whether it feels more like “a” or “the.”
Can I say “on this table” or “on the table” more specifically?
Yes, use a demonstrative: Na tym stole jest kropla wody (“on this table”). tym is the Locative singular form of ten (this/that) agreeing with stole.
What are some related prepositional contrasts I should know?
- na stole = on the table (on top)
- pod stołem = under the table
- przy stole = by/at the table (e.g., sitting at a table)
- Movement versions use Accusative: na stół, pod stół, przy stół (rare; typically do stołu = to the table).