Breakdown of Mam dwoje dzieci, syna i córkę.
i
and
mieć
to have
dziecko
child
syn
son
córka
the daughter
dwoje
two (collective)
Questions & Answers about Mam dwoje dzieci, syna i córkę.
Why do we use dwoje here instead of dwa or dwóch?
Dwoje is a collective numeral. In Polish, you must use collective numerals for nouns that represent young humans or animals (like dziecko and its plural dzieci), as well as for mixed-gender groups. Because of this, two children is always dwoje dzieci, never dwa dzieci.
Why is the word for children (dzieci) in the genitive case here?
The verb mieć (to have) takes the accusative case, so you might expect the accusative form. However, collective numerals like dwoje and troje have a special rule: they force the noun that follows them into the genitive case. The numeral dwoje itself acts as the object of the verb, while dzieci takes the genitive form.
If dzieci is in the genitive case, why are syna and córkę in the accusative case?
Syna and córkę clarify exactly who you have, referring directly back to the verb mam (I have). Because mam requires the accusative case, these two specific nouns take the accusative endings. They ignore the genitive rule because they are not directly attached to the numeral dwoje.
Does dwoje change form depending on the sentence?
Yes, collective numerals decline for case. Here, dwoje is in the accusative case because it is the direct object of mam (the nominative and accusative forms of dwoje are identical). If you needed a different case, the word would change. For example, in the instrumental case, with two children becomes z dwojgiem dzieci.
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