Przy oknie wisi firanka, a na parapecie stoi roślina.

A net curtain is hanging by the window, and a plant is standing on the windowsill.

Breakdown of Przy oknie wisi firanka, a na parapecie stoi roślina.

• na: on
• okno: the window
• a: and
• przy: by

Questions & Answers about Przy oknie wisi firanka, a na parapecie stoi roślina.

Why is it przy oknie, not przy okno?

Because przy requires the locative case.

• dictionary form: okno = window
• locative singular: oknie

So:

• przy oknie = by / near the window

This is something you simply have to learn with the preposition: przy + locative.

Why is it na parapecie?

For the same reason: na can take different cases depending on meaning.

Here it describes a location: the plant is already there, on the windowsill. When na means on/at in a static location, it takes the locative.

• dictionary form: parapet = windowsill
• locative singular: parapecie

Compare:

• na parapecie = on the windowsill
• na stół = onto the table, with movement, would use accusative instead

So in this sentence, na parapecie is locative because it answers where?

Why does the sentence use wisi for the curtain and stoi for the plant instead of just jest?