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B1 · Intermediate · Lesson 17
Plurals & declension
Polish separates 'groups of men' from everything else.
Plural endings depend on gender, with one extra split that surprises learners: nouns for groups of men (the 'masculine personal' plural) take their own endings, different from plurals of things and women.
| Group | Ending | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Things / fem / neut | -y / -i / -a | domy, kobiety, okna |
| Men (people) | -i / -y / -owie | studenci, Polacy, panowie |
- •Most plurals are regular -y / -i / -a.
- •Groups including men take special endings, often with sound changes.
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To są moje książki.
These are my books.
Studenci są w klasie.
The (male/mixed) students are in class.
Dwa koty i trzy psy.
Two cats and three dogs.
Moi przyjaciele są mili.
My friends are nice.
Te domy są stare.
These houses are old.
🧠 Tactic — Keep two piles when you practise: 'things & women' (regular) and 'men' (special). The mistakes hide in the men pile.
⚠️ Watch out — Adjectives follow the same split: dobre filmy (things) but dobrzy ludzie (men).
Quick check
Plural of 'kot' (a thing):
Masculine things take -y: koty.
Plural for groups of men uses:
Men take special -i/-y/-owie: studenci, Polacy.
Practice
Now produce the answers yourself — type them, choose the form, or build the sentence.
Plural of 'kot' (things):
Plural of 'student' (men):
___ ludzie (good — men)
Say: These are my books.
dwa koty i trzy ___ (pies)
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