Being bounced into a case

We already know that certain verbs mean we have to use certain cases - Nominative, Accusative, Genetive. These cases dictate how adjectives and noun endings change. But there is another reason we might need to use a certain case.

Certain words will 'bounce' us into a case. These are small words like:

From - Od
To - Do

The mental hook to remember which way round these are is that 'to' ends in 'o' and do does 'do'.

If we use these words then anything that comes afterwards is in the Genetive case. We can remember this with the very common phrase:

From time to time - Od czasu do czasu

These small words are known in grammar terms as 'Prepositions'

Another preposition that 'bounces' us into the Genetive case is 'Dla' (meaning 'for') Look at the following sentences.

It is a new computer for the hotel - To jest nowy komputer dla hotelu

The first part of the sentence is nominative because we are using 'to jest' but as soon as 'dla' appears we switch to Genetive - hotelu.

There are a lot of prepositions that will bounce us into various cases. We will learn bit by bit but watch out for the 'bounce' when you are reading or listening to Polish. If you suddenly see the Genetive case being used look for a small word before it which has probably bounced you there!

Back to Dlaczego (Why)

In a previous lesson we learnt that both 'co' and 'czego' means 'what'.

What (Nominative/Accusative) - Co
What (Genetive) - Czego

Now we can see why we have 'dlaczego' - the 'what' in 'forwhat' comes after 'dla' so it is 'bounced' into the genetive!

I forms and you forms of verbs

Sort these into words that will 'bounce' us into a different case and ones that won't

Drag and drop all the dark blue boxes to their correct locations

Make sure your sound is turned on to hear the audio during this exercise

Think out the Polish

Practice getting that feeling of being bounced into the Genetive case

Make sure your sound is turned on to hear the audio during this exercise

From time to time	q2\|Od czasu do czasu

It is a new computer for the hotel	q2\|To jest nowy komputer dla hotelu

I have a new computer for the bank	q2\|Mam nowy komputer dla banku

I like jazz from time to time	q2\|Lubię jazz od czasu do czasu

I have a smartphone for Aneta	q2\|Mam smartfona dla Anety

He has ecological wine for Adam	q2\|On ma ekologiczne wino dla Adama

I think that she has a laptop for the doctor

Are you looking for a laptop for Robert?	q2\|Czy szukasz laptopa dla Roberta?

Do you have water for the cat?	q2\|Czy masz wodę dla kota?

I think that she likes wine from time to time

Does she have new music for the artist?

From time to time I like rock	q2\|Od czasu do czasu lubię rock

Changing nouns to genetive

Sometimes we will be in the genetive case anyway so there is no real 'bounce'. Practice this in the sentence below

Make sure your sound is turned on to hear the audio during this exercise

Why don't you have food for the cat	q3\|Dlaczego nie masz jedzenia dla kota

She doesn't have a laptop for Adam	q3\|Ona nie ma laptopa dla Adama

He doesn't have a smartphone for Aneta	q3\|On nie ma smartfona dla Anety

I think that he doesn't have time for Ewa	q3\|Myślę, że on nie ma czasu dla Ewy