In Polish, counting mixed-gender groups or young beings (like children, siblings, or twins) requires collective numerals (dwoje, troje, czworo, etc.). Declining them into the oblique cases (Genitive, Dative, Instrumental, and Locative) introduces a specific set of suffixes and an unusual pattern for the accompanying noun.
Here is the pattern using czworo dzieci (four children):
| Case | Numeral Suffix | Noun Case | Example |
|---|
| Genitive | -ga | Genitive | czworga dzieci |
| Dative | -gu | Dative | czworgu dzieciom |
| Instrumental | -giem | Genitive | czworgiem dzieci |
| Locative | -gu | Locative | czworgu dzieciach |
The Dative Case (-gu)
In the Dative case, the numeral ends in -gu, and the noun matches it in the Dative case.
The Genitive Case (-ga)
In the Genitive case—often used for expressing absence (bez) or destination (dla)—the numeral ends in -ga, and the noun takes the Genitive case.
The Instrumental Case (-giem)
In the Instrumental case (used with the preposition z, "with"), the numeral ends in -giem. Unlike the Dative and Locative, the noun does not match the case of the numeral; instead, it takes the Genitive case.
The Locative Case (-gu)
The Locative case (used with prepositions like o, "about") shares the -gu suffix with the Dative case. The noun agrees with the numeral, taking the Locative case.