Breakdown of Kupiłam pięć par grubych rajstop na zimę.
na
on, at / to (motion toward) / for (a meal) / for (waiting for)
pięć
five
kupić
to buy (perfective)
gruby
fat / thick
zima
winter
para
pair
rajstopy
tights
Questions & Answers about Kupiłam pięć par grubych rajstop na zimę.
Why do we use the word par here instead of just saying pięć rajstop?
The word rajstopy (tights) is a plural-only noun. Because tights are garments that naturally consist of two legs, we cannot count them directly with standard numerals. Instead, we must use the measure word para (pair). Following the numeral pięć, the word para must take the genitive plural form, which is par.
Why is the phrase grubych rajstop in the genitive case?
It is in the genitive plural because it follows the measure phrase pięć par (five pairs). Just like in English where you say 'pairs of tights', Polish uses the genitive case to link a measure word to the items actually being measured.
How is the genitive plural form rajstop created from rajstopy?
Feminine nouns or plural-only nouns that end in a vowel in the nominative plural, like the -y in rajstopy, often take a zero ending in the genitive plural. This means you simply drop the final vowel. Removing the -y from the stem leaves us with the form rajstop.
Why is zima in the accusative case (zimę) after the preposition na?
The preposition na takes the locative case when describing a static location, but here it indicates purpose or a designated time frame (buying things intended for the winter season). When na expresses purpose, intention, or a targeted time, it requires the accusative case.
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