Questions & Answers about On ma niemiecki samochód.
Why doesn't the word samochód change its ending here? Doesn't the verb mieć (to have) require the accusative case?
Yes, the verb mieć requires the accusative case. However, samochód is a masculine inanimate noun (a lifeless object). For masculine inanimate nouns, the accusative form is exactly the same as the basic dictionary form (the nominative case).
Why doesn't the adjective niemiecki have a special accusative ending either?
Adjectives always copy the gender, number, and case of the noun they describe. Because the noun samochód looks exactly like its dictionary form here, the adjective niemiecki also uses a form that is identical to its basic dictionary form.
Why is the adjective niemiecki placed before samochód? I thought nationality adjectives often go after the noun.
Adjectives usually go after the noun in Polish when they form a fixed, official category, like język niemiecki (the German language). When you are just describing an everyday object's traits, the adjective goes before the noun, just like in English.
If we made this sentence negative (He doesn't have a German car), would the word endings change?
Yes! When you negate a verb that normally takes the accusative case, the noun and its adjectives must switch to the genitive case. The negative version of this sentence is On nie ma niemieckiego samochodu.