Breakdown of Trzech prawników dyskutuje w biurze.
w
in / on (a day)
biuro
office
dyskutować
to discuss
prawnik
lawyer
Questions & Answers about Trzech prawników dyskutuje w biurze.
Why use Trzech prawników instead of Trzej prawnicy?
Both mean 'three lawyers' and are correct when talking about men. When you use the masculine personal numeral trzech (as taught in this lesson), the noun that follows it must be in the Genitive plural case, which gives us prawników.
If there are three lawyers, why is the verb dyskutuje singular instead of plural?
This is a very important rule in Polish! When the subject uses a numeral like trzech, dwóch, or czterech with a Genitive plural noun, the grammar treats it like a single 'group' rather than multiple individuals. Because of this, the verb must take the third-person singular form (dyskutuje) rather than the plural (dyskutują).
What is the base form of prawników and how did it get this ending?
The base dictionary form is prawnik (lawyer). Because it is a regular masculine noun ending in a hard consonant, its Genitive plural is formed by adding the -ów ending.
Why does the word for office (biuro) change to biurze?
The preposition w (in) requires the Locative case when describing a location. For the neuter noun biuro, adding the Locative -e ending causes a consonant mutation, changing the hard r into a soft rz.