Compound prepositions of origin
When an object moves out from a specific location—like emerging from behind a wardrobe or being pulled from under a bed—Polish combines the preposition z (from/out of) with a positional preposition (za, pod, nad) to create a compound preposition.
All of these compound prepositions require the noun that follows them to take the Genitive case.
From behind (zza)
Combine z + za to get zza (from behind). Use this when something was hidden behind an object and is now coming out, or simply sticking out where it can be seen.
From under (spod)
When something comes out from underneath an object, you combine z + pod. Because p is a voiceless consonant, the z changes to an s in spelling and pronunciation, giving us spod (from under).
From above (znad)
To describe a motion or perspective originating from over or above something, combine z + nad to form znad (from above). This is frequently used to describe a line of sight, such as looking up from a desk or peering over the top of a pair of glasses.
Searching every corner
When you are looking for lost items or describing a messy room, you can easily mix and match these prepositions in the same sentence. Just remember that whether the item is coming from under or from behind, the reference object always takes the Genitive case.