W apteczce znalazłam plaster, ale nie widzę maści na tę ranę.

Because po w meaning in usually takes the locative case when it refers to location.

• dictionary form: apteczka = first-aid kit
• locative singular: apteczce

So:

• w apteczce = in the first-aid kit

This is a very common pattern:

• w domu = in the house
• w szkole = at school
• w torbie = in the bag

Znalazłam is the past tense, 1st person singular, feminine form of znaleźć (to find).

It means I found, said by a woman.

Compare:

• znalazłam = I found (speaker is female)
• znalazłem = I found (speaker is male)

Polish past tense agrees with the speaker’s gender, which is something English does not do.

Because Polish often drops subject pronouns when they are clear from the verb form.

Both verbs already show who is speaking:

• znalazłam = I found
• widzę = I see

So ja is not needed. You could say Ja znalazłam..., but that would add emphasis, something like I found...

In Polish, plaster commonly means adhesive bandage / Band-Aid / plaster in a medical context.

So in this sentence, plaster is a normal first-aid word.

Be careful: this is a bit of a false friend for English speakers.

Depending on context:

• Polish plaster = bandage / adhesive plaster
• English plaster often suggests wall material

In a sentence with apteczka and rana, the medical meaning is obvious.

Because plaster is the direct object of znalazłam, and for a masculine inanimate noun in the singular, the accusative is usually the same as the nominative.

• nominative: plaster
• accusative: plaster

So:

• znalazłam plaster = I found a plaster/Band-Aid

Compare with a masculine animate noun, where the accusative changes:

• mam kota = I have a cat

But with plaster, no change is needed.

Because after a negated verb, Polish very often uses the genitive instead of the accusative for the direct object.

Positive:

• widzę maść = I see the ointment

Negative:

• nie widzę maści = I do not see the ointment / I can’t see any ointment

So here:

• dictionary form: maść
• genitive singular: maści

This is one of the most important patterns in Polish grammar.

Here maści is genitive singular of maść (ointment).

Why genitive?

Because the verb is negated:

• widzę maść → accusative
• nie widzę maści → genitive

So maści is not random; it is the expected form after nie widzę.

Because na here means something like for or for use on, and in this meaning it takes the accusative case.

• rana = wound
• accusative singular: ranę

The demonstrative adjective must match it:

• ta rana = this wound
• accusative: tę ranę

So:

• maść na tę ranę = ointment for this wound / ointment for use on this wound

This is a very common medical pattern:

• lek na ból = medicine for pain
• maść na oparzenie = ointment for a burn

Because tę is the accusative singular feminine form of ten/ta/to.

Since rana is feminine, and since na here requires the accusative, you get:

• nominative: ta rana = this wound
• accusative: tę ranę = this wound

In everyday spoken Polish, some people say tą ranę, but in standard grammar tę ranę is the form learners should use.

Because rana is in the accusative singular after na in this meaning.

• nominative: rana
• accusative: ranę

So:

• ta rana = this wound
• na tę ranę = for this wound

This -a → -ę change is very common for feminine nouns in the accusative singular:

• książka → książkę
• herbata → herbatę
• rana → ranę

This is a question of aspect.

• znaleźć = perfective → to find, with emphasis on the completed result
• znajdować = imperfective → to be finding / to find repeatedly / to locate in a more ongoing sense

In this sentence, znalazłam is used because the action is complete: the speaker found the plaster.

So the sentence presents a finished event:

• znalazłam plaster = I found a plaster

If you used znajdowałam, it would suggest a repeated or ongoing action, which would not fit as naturally here.

Usually it can mean either, depending on context.

• nie widzę literally = I do not see
• in natural English, it may also be I can’t see

In this sentence, it most likely means:

• I don’t see any ointment or
• I can’t see any ointment

So the Polish form itself does not force a big difference between those two English translations.

Because ale (but) introduces a new clause, and in Polish it is normally preceded by a comma.

So:

• znalazłam plaster, ale nie widzę maści

This is standard Polish punctuation.

Yes. Polish word order is fairly flexible, although the original sentence sounds natural and neutral.

Original:

• W apteczce znalazłam plaster, ale nie widzę maści na tę ranę.

You could also say:

• Znalazłam plaster w apteczce, ale nie widzę maści na tę ranę.

The difference is mostly one of emphasis.

Starting with W apteczce slightly highlights the location first: In the first-aid kit, I found...

Polish often moves elements around for focus, but the case endings keep the meaning clear.

Not really. Maść na tę ranę is the natural choice here.

• na ranę = for the wound / to put on the wound

Using do tej rany would sound less natural in this context. Polish often uses na with medicines, creams, and ointments when talking about what they are meant for.

So learners should remember this as a useful pattern:

• maść na ranę
• tabletki na ból
• krem na twarz

Polish has no articles, so the form itself does not tell you the vs a/an/any.

So nie widzę maści could mean:

• I don’t see the ointment
• I don’t see any ointment

The exact meaning depends on context.

In this sentence, English often prefers I don’t see any ointment for this wound, but the ointment could also be possible if the situation is already specific.