Morphology Patterns
Understand how Polish words are built from prefixes, roots, and suffixes. Learn the meaning of common word parts and expand your vocabulary.
Prefixes
Word parts added before the root
Old Polish, originally negative, now numeral prefix
Negative prefix, Proto-Slavic *ně*
Slavic origin, perfective aspect marker
Proto-Slavic *per-, perfective aspect marker
Native Polish, prefix indicating a remainder or fraction.
Numeral prefix, archaic form, Proto-Slavic origin.
From Proto-Slavic *dъvь*, meaning 'two'. Indicates a double occurrence.
Numeral 'eight', prefix indicating quantity.
Numeral prefix, native Polish
Slavic origin, intensifier/superlative function
Proto-Slavic origin, numerical prefix meaning 'four'.
Proto-Slavic origin, meaning 'several'.
Showing 12 of 50 patterns
Roots
Core meaning-bearing word parts
Numeral root, native Polish.
Greek origin (charakter), via French/German, meaning 'to characterize'
Proto-Slavic origin, numeral 'fifty'
Proto-Slavic origin, denotes seventy
Proto-Slavic, meaning 'twenty'
Slavic origin, numeral base
Proto-Slavic origin, eighty
Proto-Slavic origin, numeral 'forty'
Derived from Latin *intellectualis* via French/German, meaning 'to intellectualize'
Proto-Slavic *devętь - 'nine'
Proto-Slavic origin, 'several'.
Proto-Slavic, 'thirty'
Showing 12 of 50 patterns
Suffixes
Word parts added after the root
Dative singular masculine inflectional suffix
Genitive singular masculine/neuter ending
Slavic origin, genitive singular feminine ending
Dative singular masculine inflectional ending.
Slavic origin, adjectival, genitive plural, instrumental plural, locative plural
Instrumental plural inflectional ending.
Slavic origin, adjectival suffix
Slavic origin, adjectival genitive singular masculine/neuter
Slavic origin, adjectival genitive singular masculine/neuter
Polish inflectional suffix, genitive singular masculine/neuter adjective
Proto-Slavic origin, genitive singular feminine adjectival ending
Instrumental singular masculine suffix
Showing 12 of 50 patterns