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Usage of the preposition "z/ze"

The preposition z/ze has several functions. Its meaning and the case it governs depend on the context.

Use this preposition in the following situations:

To indicate movement from somewhere

Use Genitive Case after the preposition in this context.

Use z/ze to show that someone or something is coming (back) from a place or leaving a place.

Example sentences

Wracam z pracy.	I'm coming back from work.
Ona przyjechała z Warszawy.	She came from Warsaw.
On wrócił z wakacji tydzień temu.	He came back from vacation a week ago.
Dziecko zeszło z drzewa.	The child came down from the tree.
Aktorka zeszła ze sceny.	The actress stepped down from the stage.
Czy wracasz dziś ze szkoły wcześniej?	Are you coming back from school earlier today?
Nie wróciłem jeszcze z Barcelony.	I haven't returned from Barcelona yet.
Mój sąsiad wyszedł z więzienia po dwóch latach.	My neighbour left prison after two years.
Wyszliśmy ze sklepu po dziesięciu minutach.	We left the shop after ten minutes.

to indicate taking someone or something out of a place

Use Genitive Case after the preposition in this context.

Use z/ze when:

someone is picked up from a place
something is taken out or removed from a place or a container

Example sentences

Wyjąłem klucze z kieszeni.	I took the keys out of my pocket.
Weź mleko z lodówki.	Take the milk out of the fridge.
Magda wyjęła książkę ze swojej torby.	Magda took the book out of her bag.
Czy możesz wyjąć masło z zamrażarki?	Can you take the butter out of the freezer?
Wyjmij ręce z kieszeni!	Take your hands out of your pockets!
Zabrałem naszego syna ze szkoły.	I picked up our son from school.
Odebrałem naszą ciocię z lotniska.	I picked up our aunt from the airport.

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To indicate material or substance something is made of

Use Genitive Case after the preposition in this context.

Use z/ze to say what something is made of (material or product that was transformed into something else).

If you want to say that something contains something, use

Instrumental Case

Example sentences

Mam koszulkę z bawełny.	I have a cotton T-shirt.
Babcia ugotowała rosół z kurczaka.	Grandma cooked chicken soup.
To naczynie jest ze szkła.	This container is made of glass.
Czy ten płaszcz jest z prawdziwej skóry?	Is this coat made of real leather?
Ten stół nie jest z drewna.	This table isn't made of wood.

To indicate origin of something

Use Genitive Case after the preposition in this context.

Example sentences

To student z Hiszpanii.	This is a student from Spain.
Kupiliśmy herbatę z Chin.	We bought tea from China.
Ten lew pochodzi z Afryki.	This lion comes from Africa.
Czy twoi dziadkowie są z Polski?	Are your grandparents from Poland?
Ta kawa nie pochodzi z Brazylii.	This coffee doesn't come from Brazil.

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To indicate time origin of something

Use Genitive Case after the preposition in this context.

Use z/ze to show from what moment in time something comes.

Example sentences

To program z zeszłego roku.	This is a program from last year.
Przeglądam zdjęcia z wczoraj.	I'm looking through photos from yesterday.
Słuchamy nagrania z dnia trzeciego września bieżącego roku.	We're listening to a recording from the third of September this year.
Czy masz notatki z dzisiejszego wykładu?	Do you have notes from today's lecture?
To nie jest raport z zeszłego miesiąca.	This isn't a report from last month.

To indicate selection from a group ("one of")

Use Genitive Case after the preposition in this context.

Use z/ze in structures like "one of..." to indicate a selected element from a larger set.

Example sentences

Jeden z nas musi tu zostać.	One of us has to stay here.
To najładniejszy mebel z tej kolekcji.	This is the most beautiful piece of furniture in this collection.
To dopiero pierwszy z wielu etapów.	This is only the first of many stages.
Który z tych filmów jest najlepszy?	Which of these films is the best?
To nie jest jeden z moich ulubionych zespołów muzycznych.	This isn't one of my favorite bands.

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To indicate cause or reason

Use Genitive Case after the preposition in this context.

Use z/ze to explain why something happened - what internal cause stands behind it (emotion, state, condition).

If you want to say how something is done, use

Instrumental Case

Example sentences

Powiedział to z głupoty.	He said it out of stupidity.
Uciekła ze strachu.	She ran away out of fear.
Zgodził się z przymusu.	He agreed under pressure.
Zasnęłam ze zmęczenia.	I fell asleep from exhaustion.
Płakała z radości.	She cried out of joy.
Jego rodzice otworzyli szeroko oczy ze zdumienia.	His parents opened their eyes wide with astonishment.

To indicate manner, emotion, or attitude

Use Instrumental Case after the preposition in this context.

Use z/ze to show how something is done - the emotional tone or attitude accompanying the action.

If you want to say why something happened, use

Genitive Case

Example sentences

Przyjęli wiadomość z ulgą.	They accepted the news with relief.
Powiedział to ze smutkiem.	He said it with sadness.
Patrzyła na mnie z niedowierzaniem.	She looked at me with disbelief.
Czytał list z żalem.	He read the letter with regret.
Jadł zupę ze smakiem.	He ate the soup with great appetite.
Krzyknęła ze złością.	She shouted with anger.
Słuchali tej historii ze zdumieniem.	They listened to this story with astonishment.

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To indicate accompaniment ("together with")

Use Instrumental Case after the preposition in this context.

Use z/ze to say that someone or something is together with another person, animal, or thing.
Usually used with verbs that express an action done by two or more people or things.

Sentence structure

Statements	verb + z ze + Instrumental Case
Questions	Z ze + kim czym + verb ?
Negations	Nie + verb + z ze + Instrumental Case

Example verbs

Polish	English	Examples
być z	be with
rozmawiać z	talk to, talk with
spotkać się z	meet with
kłócić się z	argue with
iść z	go with
mieszkać z	live with

Example sentences

być z(be with)

Jestem z mamą w domu.	I'm at home with my mum.
On jest teraz z psem na spacerze.	He's out for a walk with his dog now.
Czy będziesz z nami w drużynie?	Will you be with us in the team?
Jestem dzisiaj z tatą na grzybach.	Today I'm out mushroom hunting with my dad.

rozmawiać z(talk to, talk with)

Rozmawiam z mamą przez telefon.	I'm talking to my mum on the phone.
Rozmawialiśmy z nauczycielem po lekcji.	We talked to the teacher after class.
Czy rozmawiałaś już z rodzicami o naszym wyjeździe?	Have you already talked to your parents about our trip?
Nie rozmawiałam z nim od zeszłego tygodnia.	I haven't talked to him since last week.
Lubię rozmawiać z przyjaciółmi o filmach.	I like to talk with my friends about movies.

spotkać się z(meet with)

Spotkałem się z kolegą po pracy.	I met with my colleague after work.
Jutro spotkam się z rodziną po pracy.	Tomorrow I'll meet with my family after work.
Gdzie spotkałaś się z Anią?	Where did you meet with Ania?
Jednak nie spotkałem się z nimi w sobotę.	I didn't meet with them on Saturday.

kłócić się z(argue with)

Nie kłóć się z bratem.	Don't argue with your brother.
Ona często kłóci się z sąsiadem o miejsce parkingowe.	She often argues with her neighbour about a parking space.
Dlaczego kłócicie się z rodzicami?	Why are you arguing with your parents?

iść z(go with)

Idę z mamą do lekarza.	I'm going to the doctor with my mum.
Poszłyśmy z kolegą na spacer.	We went for a walk with a friend.
Czy pójdziesz z nami do kina?	Will you go to the cinema with us?

mieszkać z(live with)

Mieszkam z chłopakiem w Krakowie.	I live with my boyfriend in Krakow.
On mieszka razem z kolegą z pracy.	He lives with a colleague from work.
Czy nadal mieszkasz z rodzicami?	Do you still live with your parents?
Nie mieszkam już z siostrą.	I don't live with my sister anymore.

To indicate that something contains an ingredient or component

Use Instrumental Case after the preposition in this context.

Use z/ze to say that something contains something.

If you want to say that something is made of something, use

Genitive Case

Example sentences

Poproszę zupę pomidorową z ryżem.	I'll have tomato soup with rice.
To kanapka z szynką i serem.	This is a sandwich with ham and cheese.
Lubię sałatkę z pomidorami i ogórkiem.	I like salad with tomatoes and cucumber.
Czy chce pani pierogi z mięsem czy z serem?	Would you like dumplings with meat or with cheese?
Nie lubię makaronu z sosem śmietanowym.	I don't like pasta with cream sauce.

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To indicate a characteristic feature or attribute of something

Use Instrumental Case after the preposition in this context.

Use z/ze to describe a visible element or characteristic that accompanies a person or object.

Example sentences

Na chodniku stoi kobieta z różowym parasolem.	A woman is standing on the sidewalk with a pink umbrella.
Moi rodzice kupili dom z wielkim ogrodem.	My parents bought a house with a large garden.
Mam pacjenta ze złamaną nogą.	I have a patient with a broken leg.
Czy widzisz tę kobietę z czerwonym kapeluszem?	Do you see the woman with the red hat?
To nie jest telefon z dobrym aparatem.	This isn't a phone with a good camera.

To indicate gradual change of something over time

Use Genitive Case after the preposition in this context.

Use this pattern when describing gradual change between two moments in time.

For a regular time range, use

Genitive Case

Sentence structure

Statements

(...)

Genitive Case

Accusative Case

(...)

Example sentences

Sytuacja zmienia się z minuty na minutę.	The situation changes from minute to minute.
Z dnia na dzień jest coraz pewniejszy siebie.	He's getting more confident day by day.
Z roku na rok pada coraz mniej deszczu.	Year by year, it rains less and less.
Ceny paliwa rosną z miesiąca na miesiąc.	Fuel prices are rising month by month.
Nie nauczysz się grać na pianinie z dnia na dzień.	You won't learn to play the piano overnight.

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To indicate approximation ("roughly")

Use Accusative Case after the preposition in this context.

Use z/ze to express approximate quantity, distance, time, or value.

Example sentences

Do lasu jest stąd z pięć kilometrów.	It's about five kilometers to the forest from here.
To kosztuje z tysiąc złotych.	It costs about a thousand zlotys.
Myślę, że zajmie nam to z rok.	I think it will take us about a year.
To będzie ze dwadzieścia osób, prawda?	There'll be around 20 people, right?
Nie przesadzaj, to nie trwało z rok, tylko trzy miesiące.	Don't exaggerate, it didn't take about a year, just three months.

With fixed expressions

There are many common phrases with z/ze that should be learned by heart.

Polish	English
z mojego punktu widzenia	from my point of view
z tego co wiem	as far as I know
z całą pewnością	with full certainty
z góry dziękuję	thank you in advance
z całym szacunkiem	with all due respect
z wyjątkiem	with the exception of
z lewej	on the left
z prawej	on the right

Example sentences

Z mojego punktu widzenia to dobra decyzja.	From my point of view, this is a good decision.
Z góry dziękuję za pomoc.	Thank you in advance for your help.
Z tego co wiem, pociąg jest opóźniony.	As far as I know, the train is delayed.
Z całym szacunkiem, czy mogłaby Pani mówić trochę wolniej?	With all due respect, could you please speak a little more slowly?

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With idiomatic expressions

You might encounter some idiomatic expressions that use z/ze preposition.

Polish	English
bułka z masłem	a piece of cake (very easy)
z deszczu pod rynnę	out of the frying pan into the fire
żyć jak pies z kotem	to fight like cat and dog

Example sentences

Ten egzamin to była dla mnie bułka z masłem.	That exam was a piece of cake for me.
Po zmianie pracy wpadł z deszczu pod rynnę.	After changing jobs, he went from the frying pan into the fire.
Moi rodzice żyją jak pies z kotem.	My parents fight like cat and dog.

Please be patient

Internet status: held together by hope and duct tape

Converting cz into trz for no apparent reason...

Usage of the preposition "o"

Tenses (Czasy)

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(Hello, I'm Jarek, nice to meet you!)

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Cases - Noun Declension

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Grammar

Usage of the preposition "z/ze"

Cześć! Jestem Jarek, miło mi Cię poznać!

Cases - Noun Declension

Grammar

Usage of the preposition "z/ze"

To indicate movement from somewhere

to indicate taking someone or something out of a place

To indicate material or substance something is made of

To indicate origin of something

To indicate time origin of something

To indicate selection from a group ("one of")

To indicate cause or reason

To indicate manner, emotion, or attitude

To indicate accompaniment ("together with")

To indicate that something contains an ingredient or component

To indicate a characteristic feature or attribute of something

To indicate gradual change of something over time

To indicate approximation ("roughly")

With fixed expressions

With idiomatic expressions

Cześć! Jestem Jarek, miło mi Cię poznać!

Cases - Noun Declension

To indicate movement from somewhere

to indicate taking someone or something out of a place

To indicate material or substance something is made of

To indicate origin of something

To indicate time origin of something

To indicate selection from a group ("one of")

To indicate cause or reason

To indicate manner, emotion, or attitude

To indicate accompaniment ("together with")

To indicate that something contains an ingredient or component

To indicate a characteristic feature or attribute of something

To indicate gradual change of something over time

To indicate approximation ("roughly")

With fixed expressions

With idiomatic expressions