Learn Hardcore Polish: Na stole stoi tort z czekoladą i kolorowymi świeczkami. - There is a chocolate cake with colorful candles on the table.

na
- locative = location (where something is)
  - na stole – on the table (static location)
na
- accusative = direction (where something is going)
  - na stół – onto the table (movement onto)

In the sentence, the cake is already on the table (no movement), so you need na + locative: na stole. Stół is nominative; its locative form is stole.

What case is stole, and why is it different from stół?

stół is the nominative singular form (dictionary form).
stole is the locative singular form, used after prepositions like na (on), przy (by), po (after/on), when they indicate location.

The stem changes (ó → o, and the ending changes to -e) because many Polish nouns have a vowel change plus a special ending in locative:

stół → stole
król → królu (king – in/at the king) – a different but similar pattern

Why do we use stoi here instead of jest?

Both are possible, but they are not identical:

jest (from być – to be) is neutral:
- Na stole jest tort. – There is a cake on the table.
stoi (from stać – to stand) adds information about the position of the object:
- Na stole stoi tort. – There is a cake standing on the table (upright, placed there).

In Polish, verbs like stać (stand), leżeć (lie), wisieć (hang) are often used instead of być to sound more natural and descriptive for inanimate objects. A cake that is sitting upright on a plate is typically said to stać, not leżeć.

What exactly does stoi mean, grammatically speaking?

stoi is:

3rd person singular
present tense
imperfective aspect
of the verb stać (to stand).

So grammatically it means “he/she/it stands” or “is standing.”
Here tort (the cake) is the subject, so stoi = “(the cake) stands / is standing.”

Could I say Tort stoi na stole instead of Na stole stoi tort?

Yes, both are correct:

Na stole stoi tort z czekoladą i kolorowymi świeczkami.
Tort z czekoladą i kolorowymi świeczkami stoi na stole.

Polish word order is fairly flexible. The difference is mainly focus:

Starting with Na stole highlights the place (on the table) – typical when you’re describing what’s on the table.
Starting with Tort highlights the cake – typical if you’re already talking about the cake.

Grammatically, both are fine.

What does z mean in tort z czekoladą i kolorowymi świeczkami?

The preposition z has several meanings depending on the case:

z
- instrumental = with (in the sense of “together with / containing”)
- tort z czekoladą – a cake with chocolate (containing chocolate)
- tort z kolorowymi świeczkami – a cake with colourful candles
z
- genitive = from / out of / made of
- stół z drewna – a table made of wood
- wracam z pracy – I’m coming back from work

In the sentence, z means with, so it must take the instrumental case: czekoladą, kolorowymi świeczkami.

Why does czekoladą end in -ą?

The base form is czekolada (chocolate) – feminine noun, nominative singular.
After z meaning “with,” you need the instrumental case.
Feminine singular instrumental typically ends in -ą:
- kawa → kawą (with coffee)
- zupa → zupą (with soup)
- czekolada → czekoladą (with chocolate)

So czekoladą is the instrumental singular of czekolada.

Why is it tort z czekoladą, not tort z czekolady? Is there a difference?

Yes, the nuance is a bit different:

tort z czekoladą (instrumental)
- literally: cake with chocolate
- suggests a cake that contains chocolate (e.g., cream, pieces, topping).
tort z czekolady (genitive)
- literally: cake of chocolate / from chocolate
- suggests a cake made of chocolate (material), or strongly defined as a “chocolate cake.”

In everyday speech, both can be used, but:

z czekoladą feels like “with chocolate as an ingredient or element.”
z czekolady emphasises chocolate as the material/substance.

Another common option is the adjective:

czekoladowy tort – chocolate cake (very natural and common).

What does kolorowymi świeczkami mean grammatically (case, number, gender)?

świeczka – candle (small candle), feminine, nominative singular
świeczkami – instrumental plural
kolorowy – colourful; kolorowymi – instrumental plural form

So kolorowymi świeczkami is:

plural (more than one candle)
instrumental case (required by z = with)
feminine gender (the adjective agrees with świeczkami)

Full structure:

z kolorowymi świeczkami – with colourful candles
- z – preposition
- kolorowymi – adjective, instrumental plural
- świeczkami – noun, instrumental plural

Why isn’t z repeated before kolorowymi świeczkami?

In Polish, when the same preposition governs a series of nouns, it is common (and natural) to use the preposition only once:

z czekoladą i kolorowymi świeczkami
= with chocolate and colourful candles

You could repeat it:

z czekoladą i z kolorowymi świeczkami

This is also correct, but sounds a bit heavier; usually it’s done for emphasis or style. The single z in front is completely normal.

Why is świeczkami used instead of świeczki?

świeczki – nominative (or accusative) plural form: candles (as subject or direct object).
świeczkami – instrumental plural form: with candles.

Because z = with here takes the instrumental case, you must use świeczkami. Using świeczki would be grammatically wrong in this structure.

Which word is the subject of the sentence, and how do the others relate to it?

Sentence: Na stole stoi tort z czekoladą i kolorowymi świeczkami.

tort – subject (nominative singular) – the cake
stoi – verb – stands / is standing
na stole – adverbial phrase of place (na + locative) – on the table
z czekoladą i kolorowymi świeczkami – adverbial phrase of accompaniment/content (z + instrumental) – with chocolate and colourful candles

So the core is: Tort stoi. (The cake is standing.)
The other parts add where (na stole) and with what (z czekoladą i kolorowymi świeczkami).