Learn Hardcore Polish: W tej restauracji kucharz używa tylko jednej patelni do ryb. - In this restaurant the chef uses only one frying pan for fish.

„ta restauracja” – nominative (used for the subject): „Ta restauracja jest dobra.” – This restaurant is good.
After „w” meaning „in” (location, not movement), you need the locative case:
- feminine singular of „ta” → „tej”
- feminine singular of „restauracja” → „restauracji”

So you get: „w tej restauracji” – in this restaurant (locative, feminine singular).

What case is „restauracji” and why does it end in -i?

„Restauracji” is locative singular.

The preposition „w” has two cases:
- locative: in (static location) → w restauracji – in the restaurant
- accusative: into (movement) → w restaurację – into the restaurant
Here we talk about a place where something happens (static), so we use locative.
Many feminine nouns ending in -cja (and -ja) form locative singular with -i:
- restauracja → w restauracji
- stacja → na stacji (at the station)
- informacja → w informacji (in the information office)

So „w tej restauracji” is in this restaurant in the locative case.

What’s the exact meaning and form of „kucharz” here?

„Kucharz” is a noun, not a verb. It means:

„kucharz” – cook (usually male)
feminine form: „kucharka” – female cook

In the sentence it is:

nominative singular masculine
the grammatical subject of the sentence

You could also use:

„szef kuchni” – literally head of the kitchen, i.e. the chef

So the sentence is: „… the cook uses only one pan for fish.”

What form is „używa”, and what’s special about the verb „używać”?

„Używa” is:

3rd person singular, present tense: he/she uses
from the verb „używać” – to use (imperfective aspect)

Important point: „używać” governs the genitive case:

używać czego? – to use what? (genitive)

That’s why the object is „jednej patelni” (genitive), not the more “default” accusative like „jedną patelnię”.

There is also a perfective partner:

„użyć” – to use (once, completely)
- „Użył jednej patelni do ryb.” – He used one pan for fish (on that occasion).

In your sentence, „używa” suggests a habitual or general action: this is what he normally does.

Why is it „tylko jednej patelni” and not „tylko jedną patelnię”?

Because of the verb „używać”.

„Jedna patelnia” (one pan) declines like an adjective + noun:
- nominative: jedna patelnia
- accusative: jedną patelnię
- genitive: jednej patelni
The verb „używać” requires genitive:
- używać jednej patelni – to use one pan (genitive)

So:

Correct here (genitive):
„kucharz używa tylko jednej patelni”
Accusative (with a different verb):
- „Mam tylko jedną patelnię.” – I have only one pan.

The form „jedną patelnię” would be right with verbs that take the accusative (like have, buy, wash), but not with „używać”.

Is „patelni” here singular or plural?

In „tylko jednej patelni”, „patelni” is singular, genitive (one pan).

Declension of „patelnia” (a frying pan):

nominative sg: patelnia
genitive sg: patelni
accusative sg: patelnię
locative sg: na patelni – on the pan
plural nominative: patelnie
plural genitive: patelni (same form as genitive singular, context decides)

Here you have „jednej” (genitive singular of one), so you know „patelni” is genitive singular: of one pan.

Why is it „do ryb” and not, for example, „do ryby” or „na ryby”?

„Do ryb” literally means „for fish” and expresses purpose/use. Details:

Preposition „do”
- often means „to” / „for (intended for)”
- always takes the genitive case:
  - do czego? – for what?
„Ryba” (a fish):
- nominative sg: ryba
- genitive sg: ryby
- genitive pl: ryb

In „do ryb”:

„ryb” is genitive plural → for fish (in general)

Alternatives:

„do ryby” – genitive singular: for (one specific) fish
You’d say this if you had one particular fish dish in mind.
„na ryby” – to go fishing (literally for fish but idiomatic: fishing trip), not suitable here.

So „patelnia do ryb” = a pan for fish (a fish pan / pan used for cooking fish).

Why do we say „ryb” and not „ryby” at the end?

Because of the combination of:

the preposition „do”, which requires genitive
and the fact that we mean fish in general, plural

Forms of „ryba”:

nominative sg: ryba
genitive sg: ryby
nominative pl: ryby
genitive pl: ryb

In „do ryb” we have:

„do”
- genitive plural → „ryb”

If you said „do ryby”, it would be genitive singular, implying one specific fish, which is not what the sentence wants.

What does „tylko” modify here, and can its position change the meaning?

In „kucharz używa tylko jednej patelni do ryb”, „tylko” directly precedes „jednej patelni”, so it means:

„only one pan”

So the meaning is: The cook uses only one pan for fish (not two, three, etc.).

If you move „tylko”, the focus changes:

„W tej restauracji tylko kucharz używa jednej patelni do ryb.”
→ In this restaurant only the cook uses one pan for fish (other people don’t).
„Tylko w tej restauracji kucharz używa jednej patelni do ryb.”
→ Only in this restaurant does the cook use one pan for fish (elsewhere he doesn’t).

In Polish, the position of „tylko” is very important for indicating what is being limited.

Can we change the word order, e.g. say „Kucharz w tej restauracji używa tylko jednej patelni do ryb”?

Yes, Polish word order is quite flexible, as long as the grammar (cases, endings) stays correct.

All these are grammatically fine:

„W tej restauracji kucharz używa tylko jednej patelni do ryb.”
– neutral, typical order.
„Kucharz w tej restauracji używa tylko jednej patelni do ryb.”
– slight emphasis on the cook.
„Tylko jednej patelni do ryb używa kucharz w tej restauracji.”
– heavy emphasis on only one pan for fish.

The meaning of who does what to whom doesn’t change, because that is mostly carried by endings and prepositions, not by order. Word order mainly affects emphasis and style.

Why is there no word for „a/the” before „kucharz” or „patelni”?

Polish has no articles (no direct equivalent of „a/an/the”).

„kucharz” can mean „a cook” or „the cook” depending on context.
„jednej patelni” is „one pan” (and that is enough to specify it).

Definiteness (a/the) is expressed by:

context and shared knowledge
word order and stress
sometimes demonstratives (like „ten, ta, to” → this/that)

So:

„kucharz używa tylko jednej patelni do ryb”
could be translated as:
- The cook uses only one pan for fish, or
- A cook uses only one pan for fish
  — depending entirely on the context, not on extra words in Polish.