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- Topic: Polish >
- "Lubię kaczki."
22 Comments
Anyone know why Duo hasn't provided any instructions for how to formulate the plural for us total noobs? I know it's complicated but a few tips would be nice!
The rules are so labyrinthine... read br0d4 above and random pages around the Internet. So much to digest. You'll likely learn things about linguistics just to understand how Polish divides things.
Thanks, I get that, I really do but this is exactly why I was so much looking forward to Duo's Polish tree so that I wouldn't have to use a million scattered resources. I really only have time to study now on my phone on the bus to and from work due to other commitments.
I have to say, I'm quite disappointed with the tree because I'd hoped they'd find a way to do what others haven't been able to, which is to introduce Polish grammar step by step in a logical manner which allows us to learn the rules and practise without it becoming overwhelming. I've basically given up as I can't get past the genitive for negative sentences or the plurals without at least some guidance. I'll come back to it but maybe later.
Why isn't this kaczek? Ducks should be accusative plural here right? And from my understanding accusative plural takes on the genitive plural for animate objects.
Accusative is used for confirmation, Genitive for negation. But Accusative case in plural may often look the same as Genitive case in singular:
- lubię kaczki (!) - accusative plural ; lubię kaczkę - accusative singular
- nie lubię kaczek - genitive plural ; nie lubię kaczki (!) - genitive singular
EDIT: full declension
Kaczka - female declension type III with special forms in Genitive (D) plural:
KACZKA ż III
| Case PL | Sample questions | Case EN | singular | plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mianownik | kto? co? (jest) | Nominative | kaczka | kaczki |
| Dopełniacz | kogo? czego? (nie ma) | Genitive | kaczki | kaczek |
| Celownik | komu? czemu? (się przyglądam) | Dative | kaczce | kaczkom |
| Biernik | kogo? co? (widzę) | Accusative | kaczkę | kaczki |
| Narzędnik | z kim? z czym? (idę) | Instrumental | z kaczką | z kaczkami |
| Miejscownik | o kim? o czym? (myślę) | Locative | o kaczce | o kaczkach |
| Wołacz | o! | Vocative | kaczko! | kaczki! |
Very well explained. I'm a native speaker and never paid attention to what you said about confirmation and negation. Gotta remember that for future reference! Take a lingot ;)
No. If you like something, the thing that you like should be in Accusative case (no matter whether you like to hug it or to eat it).
The only difference is that when you like to eat it, then it is uncountable, hence no plural would be used: "lubię kaczkę" (I like duck).
If you like, for example, to watch the ducks swimming in a pond, you would probably prefer to say it in plural: "lubię kaczki" (I like ducks). Unless you mean a particular duck, which, is for example, your favourite pet, or toy. Then singular is also OK, but then you should indicate which duck you like, to make it clear that you do not plan to eat it: "lubię tę kaczkę" (I like this/that* duck).
*) Polish pronouns "ten/ta/to" (and declension thereof) can be translated either to "this" or to "that". A broader explanation here.
Thank you! But wait :) The original sentence, lubię kaczki is also accusative, but the accusative is not marked in plurals? Or is it that this ending is accusative-plural?
For many words - for example "kaczki" - you can check declension in Wikitionary - but use only pl.wikitionary.org - because en.wikitionary.org is not so reliable for Polish words .
You may also like to read that guide (formally on conjugation, but it is almost the same for declension).
Sometimes i look twice at these sentences because I'm like ya "I like ducks." Is what many normal people say before they are admitted to the nut house! Lol jk
Of course, if we are talking about food we would use in English the collective noun "duck."
