Questions & Answers about Widzę pięć koszy w pokoju.
Doesn't widzieć (to see) take the accusative case? Why are we using the genitive plural koszy?
You are right that widzieć takes the accusative case! In this sentence, the number pięć is actually in the accusative case. However, in Polish, numbers 5 and above always force the noun that follows them into the genitive plural. So, pięć makes kosz become koszy.
How do we form the genitive plural for a word like kosz?
Most masculine nouns take the -ów ending in the genitive plural. But kosz ends in sz, which is considered a soft consonant in Polish. Masculine nouns ending in these soft sounds usually take -y or -i in the genitive plural. After sz, we always use -y, giving us koszy.
If I saw three baskets instead of five, would it still be koszy?
No! Numbers 2, 3, and 4 act differently. They take the normal plural form for the case of the verb. Since widzieć takes the accusative, and kosz is an inanimate masculine noun, you would say Widzę trzy kosze. The genitive plural koszy is only triggered by 5 and up.
Why does pokój change to pokoju after w?
The preposition w (in) requires the locative case when talking about a static location. For most masculine inanimate nouns, the locative ending is -e, but pokój is a common exception that takes -u. Also, notice the spelling shift: the ó changes to a regular o when we add an ending, making it pokoju.
Learn Widzę pięć koszy w pokoju 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