Polski — Prepositions with the accusative
Some Polish prepositions take the accusative. przez and po (to fetch something) always do; na, w and o take the accusative in certain meanings; and nad, pod, przed, za switch to the accusative to express motion toward a place, as in idę nad jezioro.
How it works
After these prepositions the noun stands in the accusative. przez marks going through or across (idę przez park), po marks going to fetch something (idę po chleb), and the motion prepositions nad/pod/przed/za answer the question dokąd? — where to (idę nad jezioro, kładę książkę pod stół).
Examples
| Preposition | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| przez | idę przez park | through / across (a space) |
| po | idę po chleb | to fetch / to go get something |
| na | idę na koncert | onto / to (an event, surface) |
| w | gram w piłkę | at / in (games, patterns) |
| o | pytam o drogę | about / for (asking) |
| nad | idę nad jezioro | to (motion toward, by water) |
| pod | kładę książkę pod stół | under (motion to a place under) |
| za | chowam się za drzewo | behind (motion to a place behind) |
Good to know
The same prepositions nad, pod, przed, za take the instrumental for a static location — answering gdzie? (where). Compare idę nad jezioro (accusative, motion) with jestem nad jeziorem (instrumental, position). Do not use the accusative when nothing is moving.