Breakdown of Nasz przemysł jest zależny od eksportu.
być
to be
nasz
our
od
from
przemysł
industry (manufacturing, production)
zależny
dependent
eksport
export
Questions & Answers about Nasz przemysł jest zależny od eksportu.
English says "dependent on", so why does Polish use od instead of na?
In Polish, the adjective zależny (dependent) strongly governs the preposition od (which literally means "from") followed by the Genitive case. You cannot translate the English "on" directly as na here. It helps to think of it as being "dependent from" something. Always learn this as a fixed chunk: zależny od + Genitive.
Could I use uzależniony instead of zależny here?
Yes, you could say nasz przemysł jest uzależniony od eksportu, and it would mean the exact same thing in this economic context. Both adjectives take od + Genitive. However, be aware that uzależniony is also the word for "addicted" (e.g., uzależniony od kofeiny), whereas zależny is purely about logical or structural reliance.
Why does the Genitive form of eksport end in -u (eksportu) rather than -a?
Masculine inanimate nouns take either -a or -u in the Genitive singular. A very reliable rule of thumb is that abstract concepts, uncountables, and borrowed foreign words (like eksport, biznes, or internet) almost always take the -u ending.
How does this adjective's grammar compare to the verb form zależeć (to depend)?
They share the exact same preposition and case government! Just as you say jest zależny od eksportu using the adjective, you use od + Genitive for the verb, as in the very common phrase: To zależy od... (It depends on...).
Learn Nasz przemysł jest zależny od eksportu and more in Polish
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free