Breakdown of Mój dziadek nie używa Facebooka.
nie
no / not
mój
my
dziadek
the grandfather
używać
to use
Facebook
Facebook
Questions & Answers about Mój dziadek nie używa Facebooka.
Why is there no apostrophe in Facebooka? Shouldn't foreign names have one before the Polish ending?
In Polish, you only use an apostrophe when the final letter of a foreign loanword or name is silent in pronunciation (like the silent 'e' in Google'a). Since the 'k' at the end of Facebook is pronounced, you just attach the Polish ending directly: Facebooka.
What case is Facebooka here, and why does it end in -a instead of -u?
It is in the Genitive case. While many inanimate masculine nouns take the -u ending in the Genitive, foreign technology terms, apps, and websites (like Facebooka, Instagrama, SMS-a, maila) typically take the -a ending instead. They act as 'masculine animate' nouns in everyday Polish.
Is Facebooka in the Genitive case because the sentence is negative (nie używa)?
Yes, but it would be in the Genitive anyway! The verb używać (to use) inherently requires the Genitive case, even in positive sentences like Używam Facebooka. The negation (nie) also forces the Genitive, so here you have two different rules pointing to the exact same case.
Could I say nie korzysta z Facebooka instead?
Yes, and it sounds very natural! Korzystać z (to use or to benefit from) is often preferred when talking about using services, internet platforms, or apps. Używać is slightly more focused on utilizing a tool. For social media, both are perfectly fine, just remember that korzystać requires the preposition z plus the Genitive case.
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