Breakdown of Otrzymaliśmy ten certyfikat, bo pracujemy zgodnie z wytycznymi.
ten
this (m)
pracować
to work
bo
because
otrzymać
to receive
zgodnie z
in accordance with
certyfikat
certificate
wytyczna
guideline
Questions & Answers about Otrzymaliśmy ten certyfikat, bo pracujemy zgodnie z wytycznymi.
Why is the word for "guidelines" in the Instrumental case (wytycznymi) here?
The phrase zgodnie z (in accordance with) always requires the noun that follows it to take the Instrumental case. Since we are referring to plural guidelines, the nominative plural wytyczne changes to the instrumental plural wytycznymi.
Why does wytycznymi have an adjective ending (-ymi) if it is a noun?
The word for a guideline, wytyczna, is an adjectival noun. This means it represents a thing (a noun) but changes its endings exactly like an adjective would. Because of this, its Instrumental plural form is wytycznymi, matching the standard plural adjective ending.
Could I use dostaliśmy instead of otrzymaliśmy?
Yes, absolutely. Dostać (to get/receive) is the standard, everyday verb. Otrzymać means the same thing but sounds more formal and professional. It was likely chosen here because the context of receiving a certificate for following guidelines is professional.
Why doesn't ten certyfikat change its form, since it is the direct object of the verb?
It actually is in the Accusative case here, but it looks unchanged! Because certyfikat is a masculine inanimate noun (an object, not a person or animal), its Accusative form is identical to its basic Nominative dictionary form.
Learn Otrzymaliśmy ten certyfikat, bo pracujemy zgodnie z wytycznymi 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