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Terms Glossary
Cases (Przypadki)
Tenses (Czasy)
Verbs (Czasowniki)
Nouns (Rzeczowniki)
Adjectives (Przymiotniki)
Pronouns (Zaimki)
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  1. Home
  2. Grammar
  3. Cases (Przypadki)
  4. Noun Declension
  5. Irregular Nouns

Noun Declension - Irregular Nouns

Most nouns in the Polish language have regular declension forms. These can be learned by examining each ending in the article on noun declension endings . Many nouns may exhibit one of the common irregularities . Additionally, some nouns have only one or two irregular forms, while others are completely irregular. Nouns can be categorized as follows:
  • regular nouns which take the declension endings
  • regular nouns with common irregularities which take the declension endings and additionally exhibit one of the common irregularities in their stem
  • semi-regular nouns
    • masculine nouns with the -a ending in singular Nominative Case. The -a ending is a feminine ending. To decline these masculine nouns, use feminine endings for singular forms and masculine endings for plural forms. Examples: mężczyzna, kolega, kierowca.
    • masculine nouns having -u ending instead of -owi ending in singular Dative Case. All other forms are regular. For information about these nouns, see the article on Masculine Singular Nouns in Dative Case . Examples: pies - psu, kot - kotu, świat - światu.
    • nouns having only plural forms. These nouns do not use singular endings. Only plural endings are used. Examples: nożyczki, drzwi, okulary.
    • almost regular nouns. Nouns that exhibit minor irregularities. For example:
      • las - lesie has an uncommon a ➜ e irregularity
      • żółw - żółwie has w ➜ wi softening in all forms
    • nouns ending in -um. These nouns maintain the same form in all cases in singular number. They take endings only in plural number. Examples: muzeum, liceum
  • irregular nouns. These nouns exhibit irregular stem changes during declension. Examples: zwierzę, oko, ucho, ksiądz
The following tables display declensions of selected irregular nouns.
mężczyzna - a man
CaseSingular NumberPlural Number
Nominativemężczyznamężczyźni
Genitivemężczyznymężczyzn
Dativemężczyźniemężczyznom
Accusativemężczyznęmężczyzn
Instrumentalmężczyznąmężczyznami
Locativemężczyźniemężczyznach
Vocativemężczyznomężczyźni
kolega - a friend
CaseSingular NumberPlural Number
Nominativekolegakoledzy
Genitivekolegikolegów
Dativekoledzekolegom
Accusativekolegękolegów
Instrumentalkolegąkolegami
Locativekoledzekolegach
Vocativekolegokoledzy
pies - a dog
CaseSingular NumberPlural Number
Nominativepiespsy
Genitivepsapsów
Dativepsupsom
Accusativepsapsy
Instrumentalpsempsami
Locativepsiepsach
Vocativepsiepsy
nożyczki - scissors
CaseSingular NumberPlural Number
Nominativenożyczki
Genitivenożyczek
Dativenożyczkom
Accusativenożyczki
Instrumentalnożyczkami
Locativenożyczkach
Vocativenożyczki
drzwi - a door
CaseSingular NumberPlural Number
Nominativedrzwi
Genitivedrzwi
Dativedrzwiom
Accusativedrzwi
Instrumentaldrzwiami
Locativedrzwiach
Vocativedrzwi
okulary - glasses
CaseSingular NumberPlural Number
Nominativeokulary
Genitiveokularów
Dativeokularom
Accusativeokulary
Instrumentalokularami
Locativeokularach
Vocativeokulary
las - a forest
CaseSingular NumberPlural Number
Nominativelaslasy
Genitivelasulasów
Dativelasowilasom
Accusativelaslasy
Instrumentallasemlasami
Locativelesielasach
Vocativelesielasy
żółw - a turtle
CaseSingular NumberPlural Number
Nominativeżółwżółwie
Genitiveżółwiażółwi
Dativeżółwiowiżółwiom
Accusativeżółwiażółwie
Instrumentalżółwiemżółwiami
Locativeżółwiużółwiach
Vocativeżółwiużółwie
muzeum - a museum
CaseSingular NumberPlural Number
Nominativemuzeummuzea
Genitivemuzeummuzeów
Dativemuzeummuzeom
Accusativemuzeummuzea
Instrumentalmuzeummuzeami
Locativemuzeummuzeach
Vocativemuzeummuzea
liceum - a high school
CaseSingular NumberPlural Number
Nominativeliceumlicea
Genitiveliceumliceów
Dativeliceumliceom
Accusativeliceumlicea
Instrumentalliceumliceami
Locativeliceumliceach
Vocativeliceumlicea
zwierzę - an animal
CaseSingular NumberPlural Number
Nominativezwierzęzwierzęta
Genitivezwierzęciazwierząt
Dativezwierzęciuzwierzętom
Accusativezwierzęzwierzęta
Instrumentalzwierzęciemzwierzętami
Locativezwierzęciuzwierzętach
Vocativezwierzęzwierzęta
oko - an eye
CaseSingular NumberPlural Number
Nominativeokooczy
Genitiveokaoczu
Dativeokuoczom
Accusativeokooczy
Instrumentalokiemoczami
Locativeokuoczach
Vocativeokooczy
ucho - an ear
CaseSingular NumberPlural Number
Nominativeuchouszy
Genitiveuchauszu
Dativeuchuuszom
Accusativeuchouszy
Instrumentaluchemuszami
Locativeuchuuszach
Vocativeuchouszy
ksiądz - a priest
CaseSingular NumberPlural Number
Nominativeksiądzksięża
Genitiveksiędzaksięży
Dativeksiędzuksiężom
Accusativeksiędzaksięży
Instrumentalksiędzemksiężmi
Locativeksiędzuksiężach
Vocativeksiężeksięża
Jarek Hajduk

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Noun Declension Book

Cases - Noun Declension

You can support my website and my Youtube Channel by buying my grammar book on Amazon. In that book I have clearly explained, how to create different forms of noun depending on the case, number, and gender.
After reading this book you will be able to decline any noun in the Polish language. This book also contains exercises with answers, which will help you practice what you learn.
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Noun Declension - y/i ending

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Adjective Declension (Odmiana Przymiotnika przez Przypadki)