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By the way, if someone has a good polish grammar book to share, send me in facebook pls. :P I haven't found any in internet. At least not for free.
Could one also write "On nie lubi ciebie"? Does the direct object need to be in a specified place in this sentence. Also, when is cie used and when is ciebie?
It could, but on ciebie nie lubi is more natural word order. On nie lubi ciebie would put emphasis on ciebie, meaning that he doesn’t like you, but he likes someone else (me, for example).
As for cię / ciebie, in most contexts they are interchangeable. Most commonly ciebie is used at the beginning of the sentence, while cię in the middle and at the end, but that’s no hard rule.
(grammarnazimodeon)
I have to disagree at the second paragraph. Long forms of pronouns (mnie (as a dative), ciebie, tobie) are used at the beginning, at the end and can be used in middle of the sentence when we give an emphasis on them. "On nie lubi cię" is not correct (though totally understandable) and should be "on nie lubi ciebie".
Otherwise we use the short forms (mi, cię, ci).
However if the pronoun is the second word and the first word is a short conjunction (like a, i, bo, to, więc) we can use both of the forms.
(grammarnazimodeoff)
If one is trying to be helpful, rather than trying to besmirch another's level of intelligence, I use the term "grammar samaritan" when I help people. I sign off with "--Grammar Samaritan" to signal my helpful intention.
Aha, so "On ciebie nie lubi" and "on nie lubi cię" would be more common word orders?
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"Ciebie" must be used, if it's a first word of a sentence. In other situations both words can be used.
Dear lucas.hbs, I use "Polish Grammar in a Nutshell" by Oscar E. Swan (downloaded free from the internet; very brief and basic) and "Polish, an essential Grammar" by Dana Bielec published by Routledge (very detailed). Between the two of these I get by and can figure out most grammar issues
Thanks for the tip on these 2 books. I was looking for resources to help me with the grammar explanations and the webpages I've been using weren't comprehensive enough. Dziękuję
Straight outta Star Wars (Episode IV, when they're in the Cantina at the Spaceport and Luke is getting a drink at the bar).
So, am I right assuming that 'ciebie' is in the genitive (even if accusative and genitive have the same form)?
Yes, in this sentence it is in genitive because of negation.
On the other hand, if it was on ciebie lubi, then ciebie would be in accusative.
According to my wife, cię is not genitive. Whilst ciebie is both genitive and accusative
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They both have the same meaning. Ciebie has to be used at beginning, and should be used at the end of the sentence. Cię is more often used in the middle.
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Yes, if it's at the other place than first. By Polish Science Academy:
Long forms of pronouns are obly used in such situations:
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At the beginning of the sentence
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At the end of the sentence, while we have strong logic accent ("To się podoba mnie" - I like it (not you, not we, but I)
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If it's creating a construction with opposition between people ("Zaproszę cie bie, nie jego" - I will invite you, not you.)
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When pronoun is existing alone, for example when it's an answer. "Komu pożyczył pieniądze? Mnie." - Whom he lent money? Me.
As someone who grew up speaking Polish, I'm here to brush up. If someone asked me what that sentence meant in English, I would also translate it to: he dislikes you. Duo marked this as incorrect. The sentence is interchangeable: I do not like you/I dislike you= same sentiment. I've reported this as my answer should have been marked correct.
That's right, added now.
But as you noticed already, writing 'dislikes' may be a bit risky, while it probably should be accepted everywhere, it's usually not, at least so far.
What difference is there between ciebie and cię ? This really does need a grammar guide.
"cię" is the neutral form, "ciebie" is emphatic. In some contexts, only the emphatic is possible, in some others, only the neutral feels natural. Here, in such a word order... I guess both work.
