Breakdown of Minister jest członkiem rządu.
być
to be
członek
the member (m)
minister
the minister (m)
rząd
government (the cabinet)
Questions & Answers about Minister jest członkiem rządu.
Why does the word for member, członek, change to członkiem here?
After the verb być (to be), we use the Instrumental case to state someone's identity, role, or profession. When declining członek, the second 'e' drops out (a common pattern called a fleeting 'e'), and we add the masculine Instrumental ending -iem, giving us członkiem.
Why is the word for government, rząd, in the form rządu?
It is in the Genitive case, which is often used to show possession, association, or the English equivalent of the word 'of'. Therefore, członkiem rządu translates to 'a member OF the government'.
I have seen the word rząd used to mean something completely different. Does it have another meaning?
Yes! Besides meaning 'government', rząd also means a 'row' or 'line', such as a row of seats in a theater. You have to rely on the context of the sentence to know which meaning is intended.
If the minister were a woman, would the word minister change?
No, the noun minister traditionally does not have a widely used feminine equivalent. To refer to a female minister, you simply use pani minister. Any verbs or adjectives referring to her would take feminine endings, but the noun itself stays the same.