Understanding ‘Mój’ in Polish: A Guide to Possessive Adjectives with Examples
If you are learning Polish, one of the key things you’ll need to master is possessive adjectives like “mój,” meaning “my.” The tricky part is that it changes form depending on the gender, case, and number of the noun it refers to. This blog will walk you through understanding ‘Mój’ in Polish by looking at its various forms, along with plenty of examples and explanations.
1. Basic Forms of Mój
The possessive adjective “mój” can take different forms depending on whether the noun it describes is masculine, feminine, or neuter. When you begin understanding ‘Mój’ in Polish, you’ll first need to get familiar with these three basic forms:
- Mój – for masculine singular nouns
- Moja – for feminine singular nouns
- Moje – for neuter singular nouns
Examples:
- To jest mój samochód. (This is my car.)
- Why ‘mój’: “Samochód” (car) is a masculine singular noun.
- To jest moja książka. (This is my book.)
- Why ‘moja’: “Książka” (book) is a feminine singular noun.
- To jest moje dziecko. (This is my child.)
- Why ‘moje’: “Dziecko” (child) is a neuter singular noun.
2. How ‘Mój’ Changes in Different Cases
As you progress in understanding ‘Mój’ in Polish, it is essential to learn how “mój” changes based on the grammatical case. Polish has seven cases, and each one affects the form of the possessive adjective.
3. Examples of Mój in Different Cases
Nominative Case (Mianownik)
When you start understanding ‘Mój’ in Polish, the nominative case is the most basic, as it’s used when the noun is the subject of the sentence.
- Mój pies jest duży. (My dog is big.)
- Why ‘mój’: “Pies” (dog) is a masculine animate singular noun.
- Moja siostra jest w domu. (My sister is at home.)
- Why ‘moja’: “Siostra” (sister) is a feminine singular noun.
- Moje mieszkanie jest małe. (My apartment is small.)
- Why ‘moje’: “Mieszkanie” (apartment) is a neuter singular noun.
Genitive Case (Dopełniacz)
One of the more challenging parts of understanding ‘Mój’ in Polish is the genitive case, which is used to express possession, after certain prepositions, or in negative sentences.
- Nie mam mojego telefonu. (I don’t have my phone.)
- Why ‘mojego’: “Telefon” (phone) is a masculine inanimate singular noun, and we use the genitive case after the negation “nie mam.”
- Szukam mojej torby. (I’m looking for my bag.)
- Why ‘mojej’: “Torba” (bag) is a feminine singular noun, and we use the genitive case with the verb “szukać” (to look for).
- Nie widziałem mojego samochodu. (I didn’t see my car.)
- Why ‘mojego’: “Samochód” (car) is a masculine inanimate noun, and we use the genitive case after the negation “nie widziałem.”
Dative Case (Celownik)
Another important part of understanding ‘Mój’ in Polish is the dative case, which is used when the noun is an indirect object.
- Dałem książkę mojemu bratu. (I gave the book to my brother.)
- Why ‘mojemu’: “Brat” (brother) is a masculine animate singular noun, and the dative case is used for indirect objects.
- Pomogłem mojej koleżance. (I helped my friend.)
- Why ‘mojej’: “Koleżanka” (friend) is a feminine singular noun, and the dative case is used with the verb “pomóc” (to help).
Accusative Case (Biernik)
When understanding ‘Mój’ in Polish, the accusative case is important because it is used for direct objects of the sentence.
- Widziałem mojego psa. (I saw my dog.)
- Why ‘mojego’: “Pies” (dog) is a masculine animate singular noun, and the accusative is used here because the dog is the direct object.
- Kupiłem moją książkę. (I bought my book.)
- Why ‘moją’: “Książka” (book) is a feminine singular noun, and the accusative case is used for the direct object.
Instrumental Case (Narzędnik)
For understanding ‘Mój’ in Polish, the instrumental case is used after certain prepositions, like “z” (with), or when describing the tool used to do something.
- Idę z moim bratem. (I’m going with my brother.)
- Why ‘moim’: “Brat” (brother) is a masculine singular noun, and the instrumental case is used after “z” (with).
- Piszę z moją długopisą. (I’m writing with my pen.)
- Why ‘moją’: “Długopis” (pen) is a feminine singular noun, and the instrumental case is used after “z” (with).
Locative Case (Miejscownik)
The locative case, which is used after certain prepositions, is another vital part of understanding ‘Mój’ in Polish.
- Mówię o moim psie. (I’m talking about my dog.)
- Why ‘moim’: “Pies” (dog) is a masculine animate singular noun, and we use the locative case after “o” (about).
- Rozmawiam o mojej rodzinie. (I’m talking about my family.)
- Why ‘mojej’: “Rodzina” (family) is a feminine singular noun, and the locative case is used after “o.”
Vocative Case (Wołacz)
Although the vocative case is less commonly used in modern Polish, it’s still essential for understanding ‘Mój’ in Polish. This case is used when addressing someone or something directly.
- Mój bracie! (My brother!)
- Why ‘mój’: “Brat” (brother) is a masculine singular noun, and the vocative case is used to call out or address someone.
- Moja przyjaciółko! (My friend!)
- Why ‘moja’: “Przyjaciółka” (friend) is a feminine singular noun, and the vocative case is used for direct address.
4. Plural Forms
When dealing with plural nouns, understanding ‘Mój’ in Polish involves recognizing whether the noun is masculine personal or non-masculine.
Examples:
- Moi przyjaciele są w szkole. (My friends are at school.)
- Why ‘moi’: “Przyjaciele” (friends) is a masculine personal plural noun.
- Moje książki są na stole. (My books are on the table.)
- Why ‘moje’: “Książki” (books) is a non-masculine plural noun.
5. When to Use Mój and When to Drop It
In casual speech, understanding ‘Mój’ in Polish means knowing when to omit “mój” entirely. If it’s clear from the context who owns the object, native speakers often drop the possessive adjective.
Examples:
- Mam (mój) samochód. (I have my car.)
- Here, “mój” can be omitted because the subject “I” makes it clear whose car it is.
In this blog post, we’ve gone through various examples to help you in understanding ‘Mój’ in Polish. By studying these forms and practicing with them in different cases, you’ll feel more confident in using this possessive adjective correctly.
