Lower Sorbian/Grammar/Declension of nouns

Masculine nouns Hard stems Hard-stemmed are those nouns that aren't soft-stemmed. singular plural dual NOM dub `oak` [1] duby [7] duba GEN duba [4] dubow [8] dubowu DAT dubu [6] dubam duboma ACC =NOM./GEN. [2] =NOM./GEN. [3] =NOM./GEN. [3] INS dubom dubami duboma LOC dubje [5] dubach duboma [1] moving vowels: (a) -e-, (b) -o-, (c) -a- (and their soft counterparts), that stay in NOM. sg., but they disappear in oblique cases, e.g. (a) wogeń-wognja `fire`, wugeń-wugnja `chimney`, wugel-wugla `coal`, robel-robla `sparrow`, keŕ-krja `bush`, kóśeł-kotła `kettle`, nugeł-nugła `corner`, charchel-charchla `reflux`, źeń-dńa `day`; (b) djaboł-djabła `devil`, kozoł-kozła `goat`, wopor-wopra `casualty, sacrifice`; (c) pjas-psa `dog`, błazan-błazna `fool, jester` [2] the category of animacy ACC. sg. = { animate nouns GEN.}, e.g. cłowjeka `of a man` { unanimate nouns NOM.}, e.g. dub `of an oak` [3] the category of personhood (note: every personal nouns is also an animate noun) ACC. pl., du. = { personal nouns GEN.}, e.g. cłowjekow `of men` { impersonal nouns NOM.}, e.g. duby `of oaks` [4] endings of hard stem GEN. sg.: (a) –a, (b) –u (a) -a only nouns: 2- and more sylable nouns, e.g. cłowjek-cłowjeka animate nouns, np. syn-syna `son`, pjas-psa (1) most `bridge`, (2) list `letter; leaf`, (3) kut `corner`, (4) kśud `whip; torment`, (5) kwět `flower`, (6) šćit `defence; shield`, (7) sud `court`, (8) pšut `stock; sprout; tail` (b) -u only nouns: (1) dom-domu `house`, (2) mjod-mjodu `honey` (c) nouns hesitating between -a/-u endings: 1-sylable unanimate nouns (it happens that a choice of the ending changes the meaning, e.g. dwór-dwóra `farm` : dwór-dwóru `yard`, lud-luda `people, nation` : lud-ludu `people, folk`] [5] LOC. sg. hard stem masculine endings: (a) –je, (b) –u: (a) -je only nouns: nouns not mentioned in (b) and (c) exceptional nouns ending with –k: bok - na boce `side`, flak - na flace `place`, Pśiłuk - w Pśiłuce `Preilack`, rarely also jězyk - na jězyce `language` (b) -u only nouns: nouns ending with -z, -s, -c, -ž, -š, -k, e.g. woz - na wozu, gólc - we gólcu `boy` some nouns ending with –d i –g: (1) rod-w rodu `sex`, (2) bog - w bogu `god`*, (3) lud - w ludu*, (4) rěd - po rědu `order` - in that meaning (*), (5) narod - pśi narodu `birth`, (6) nałog - po nałogu `habit` [forms with (*) go only with the -u form] (c) nouns hesitating between -ja and -u: nouns ending with -u, e.g. brjuch - w brjuchu / w brjuše `stomach`, měch - w měchu / w měše `bag`, proch - w prochu / w proše `dust` [6] DAT. sg. hard stem masculine endings: (a) –u, (b) –oju: (a) -u only nouns: majority of nouns ending with -s, -z, e.g., np. cas-casu `time`, wóz-wózu `wagon` first of the nouns in a concatenation of 2 personal nouns, e.g. kněz faraŕ-knězu faraŕeju `Mr. priest` (b) –oju only nouns: personal nouns, e.g. nana-nanoju `dad`, syn-synoju nouns with GEN. sg. ending with -u, e.g. dom-domoju, dwór-dwóroju nouns with LOC. sg. ending with -u, e.g. casnik-casnikoju `newspaper`, grěch-grěchoju `sin` (c) nouns with -u or -oju: the rest not mentioned in (a) and (b) [7] NOM. pl. hard stem masculine endings: (a) –y, (b) –e, (c) –i: (a) -y only nouns nouns not mentioned in (b) and (c) historically hard-stemmed nouns ending with -z, -s, e.g. pjas-psy, cas-casy, głos-głosy `voice`, woz-wozy, kłos-kłosy `ear of grain`, włos-włosy `hair`, kus-kusy `piece`, raz-razy `time; blow` nouns ended with –tš, np. wětš-wětšy `wind`, jatš-jatšy `Easter`, pśětš-pśetšy `crow beaming`, Pětš-Pětšy `Peter`, kmotš-kmotšy `godfather` rarely also personal nouns ending with -c, alternatively with the ending -c, e.g. gólc-gólcy (b) -e only nouns nouns ending with -z, -s, -c, -ž, -š, -č, e.g. rjeśaz-rjeśaze `chain`, mjasec-mjasece `month, moon`, škórc-škórce `starling`, towariš-towariše `comrade`, muž-muže `husband; man` (c) -i only nouns nouns ending with –k, -g, np. cłowjek-cłowjeki, nałog-nałogi (1) bratš-bratśi `brother`, (2) stari `parents` (d) nouns hesitating between -y and -i endings: cart-carśi/carty `devil`, sused-suseźi/susedy `neighbour`, cygan-cygani/cygany `Gypsy`, Žyd-Žyźi/Žydy `Jew`, profet-profeśi/profety `prophet`, nan-nani/nany `father` [forms ending with -y name particular persons, with -i - the whole genus] [8] GEN. pl. hard stem masculines: beside –ow ending there exist: (a) null ending - after numerals and prepositions and always in case of settlement names, e.g. korc - pěś korc `tub (measure of volume)`, gody - do god `Christmas`, jatšy - do jatš, kamjeny - do kamjen `oven (pl.tant.)`, pśěg woł `ox carriage`, šesć muž, styri raz, do Dreždźan (b) -y ending, used in same situations as (a) in case of nouns ending with -z, -s, -c, -ž, -š, -č, e.g. pjenez-pjenezy `money` Soft stems Nouns ending with ź, ś, ć, j, l, ŕ, b’, p’, m’, ń, w’ singular plural dual NOM kóń `horse` [1] kónje [7] kónja GEN kónja kónjow [8] kónjowu DAT kónjoju [6] kónjam kónjoma ACC =NOM./GEN. [2] =NOM./GEN. [3] =NOM./GEN. [3] INS kónjom kónjami kónjoma LOC kónju kónjach kónjoma [1] Cf. moving vowels (Hard stems 1) [2] Cf. animacy (Hard stems 2) [3] Cf. personhood (Hard stems 3) [6] DAT. sg. soft stem masculine endings: (a) –oju, (b) –u, (c) –eju: (a) nouns ending with -oju: all, except those mentioned in (b) and (c) (b) –u nouns: (1) kij-kiju `stock`, (2) znoj-znoju `sweat`, (3) złoźej-złoźeju `thief`, (4) łokś-łokśu `elbow` (c) –eju nouns: nouns ending with '–aŕ i –al, denoting profession names, e.g. faraŕ-fararjeju `priest`, kowal-kowaleju `blacksmith` [8] GEN. pl. soft stem masculine endings: apart from –ow ending, there exists -i ending, which is used in those cases, as in point Hard stems, 8a, e.g. tyźeń - wjele tyźeni `week` Exceptions [1] a nouns luźe `people` NOM. pl. luźe GEN. pl. luźi DAT. pl. luźam ACC. pl. luźi, resp. luźe INS. pl. luźimi LOC. pl. luźach [2] NOM. sg. źeń `dzień` - GEN. sg. dnja and further on like kóń (alternate LOC. sg. we dnjo) - NOM. ACC. pl. dny [3] following nouns make special collective plural forms: kněz-kněža `mister-mistress and mistress`, bur-burja `peasant-peasantry`, kmotš-kmotša `godfather-godparents` Alternative and relic forms [1] apart from INS. pl. ending with –ami, there exists INS. pl. ending with –ymi (-imi) [2] there exist relics of vocative case: (1) kněžo! `mister`, (2) nano! `father`, (3) of deminutives: bratśiko! `little brother`, wujko! `little uncle`, synko! `little son`, (4) of 1-sylable colloquial forms of masculine names: Mato!, Fryco!, Hanzo!, (5) of surnames endings with consonantal groups: Latk - kněz Latko!, Mětk - kněz Mětko! Masculine nouns ending with -a They are inflected following the patterns of feminine nouns, e.g. wojwoda `prince`, družba, podružba `best man (on a wedding)`, groba `count`, borša `apprentice`, šołta `commune leader`, nawožeńa `groom`, patriarcha, profeta, itd.; they are generally defined in masculine gender, however, rarely can they stay in feminine, e.g. taka nara, našeje boršy Neuter nouns Hard stems singular plural dual NOM słowo `word` słowa słowje GEN słowa słowow [2] słowowu DAT słowu słowam słowoma ACC =NOM. =NOM. =NOM. INS słowom słowami słowoma LOC słowje [1] słowach słowoma [1] LOC. sg. hard stem neuter endings: (a) –je: a typical ending (b) –u: an alternative form in over-2-sylable-long nouns ending with -stwo, e.g. w kśesćijaństwu an alternative form of wucho - we wuchu : we wuše `ear` nouns woko – we woku `eye`, łyko – pśi łyku `bast` diminutives ending with –ko, np. blidko – na blidku `little table` [2] GEN. pl. hard stem neuter endings: apart from –ow ending, there also exists null ending - it follows numerals and prepositions, it's also a default form for settlement names e.g. słowo – wjele słow Soft stems Neuter nouns ending with a soft consonant and those ending with -z, -s, -c, -ž, -š, -č sg. pl. du. NOM mórjo `sea` [3] mórja móri [6] GEN mórja mórjow [2] mórjowu DAT mórju [5] mórjam mórjoma ACC =NOM. =NOM. =NOM. INS mórjom [4] mórjami mórjoma LOC mórju mórjach mórjoma [2] also null ending of GEN. pl. (Hard stems 2) [3] following nouns have ending of NOM. sg. -je(1) strowje `health`, (2) zele `herb`, (3) wjasele `happiness`, (4) kopje `copy`, (5) žyźe `velvet`, (6) pjerje `feather`, (7) verbal nouns ending with -nje, np. wuknjenje `learning` [4] in LOC. sg. of soft stem neuters there are following endings: (a) –om: nouns with NOM. sg. ending with –o(b) –im: nouns with NOM sg. ending with -je, e.g. daśe - w daśi `giving`,(c) –i: only in a phrase na poli `in the field` [5] in DAT. sg. there is also an alternative ending –oju, often used for 1-sylable nouns (wokno – we woknoju `window`) and verbal nouns (kšyśe – ku kšyśoju `hiding`) [6] II palatalisation + corelation i:y- after ź, ś, ć, j, l, ŕ, b’, p’, m’, ń, w’: -i- after z, s, c, ž, š, č: -y Consonant stems [1] sg. pl. du. NOM zwěrje `animal` zwěrjeta zwěrjeśi GEN zwěrjeśa zwěrjetow [2] zwěrjeśowu [4] DAT zwěrjeśu zwěrjetam zwěrjeśoma [4] ACC =NOM. =NOM. =NOM. INS zwěrjeśim[3] zwěrjetami zwěrjeśoma[4] LOC zwěrjeśu zwěrjetach zwěrjeśoma [4] [1] there are 2 types of thematic extensions (underlined part of a word in the table): (a) jeś:jet, (b) jenj, np. znamje-znamjenja `sign`; in the type (b) belongs also a word mě -měnja `name` [2] also null ending in GEN. pl. (Hard stems 2) [3] more rarely instead of INS. sg. ending of neuter consonant-stemmed nouns –im comes –om [4] in du. neuter nouns with -jeś:jet- take sometimes also hard thematic extension –jet–, np. zwěrjetoma Exceptions [1] a noun źiśe `child`: in sg. it has only NOM. and ACC. in pl. it's inflected like consonant-stemmed neuter without thematic extension lacking sg. and du. forms are replaced with consonant-stemmed neuter noun with jeś:jet góle sg. pl. du. NOM źiśe źiśigóleśi GEN góleśa źiśi góleśowu DAT góleśu źiśam góleśoma ACC =NOM. =NOM. =NOM. INS góleśim źiśimi góleśoma LOC góleśu źiśach góleśoma [2] plural and dual number of words (1) woko, (2) wucho NOM. ACC. du. wócy wušy GEN. du. wócowu wušowu DAT. INS. LOC. du. wócyma wušyma NOM. ACC. pl. wócy wušy GEN. pl. wócow wušow DAT. pl. wócam wušam INS. pl. wócymi wušymi LOC. pl. wócach wušach similarly wobwócy `eyebrows`, yet woko i wucho in metaphorical meanings - regularly [3] alternative GEN. pl. of wokno: woken Alternative and relic forms [1] apart from INS. pl. ending with –ami there exists ending –ymi (imi) [2] in DAT. sg. of consonant-stemmed neuter nouns there can come an alternative ending –oju Feminine nouns Hard stems ending with -a + (1) łdza `tear`,(2) sotša `sister`, (3) kmotša `godmother` sg. pl. du. NOM ryba `fish` ryby [1] rybje GEN ryby [1] rybow [2] rybowu DAT rybje rybam ryboma ACC rybu ryby [1] rybje INS rybu rybami ryboma LOC rybje rybach ryboma [1] so called IV palatalisation: after k, g ending –i instead of –y, e.g. ruka-ruki [2] endings of GEN. pl. of hard stem feminines: except from -ow ending there xists null ending, which follow numerals and prepositions and is always used in case of settlement names, e.g. krowa – wjele krow `cow`, wójca – mało wójc `sheep` Soft stems ending with -a and -wej + those ending with historically soft -z, -s, -c, -ž, -š, -č [4] sg. pl. du. NOM duša `dusza` duše dušy [3] GEN duše dušow [2] dušowu DAT dušy [3] dušam dušoma ACC dušu duše dušy [3] INS dušu dušami dušoma LOC dušy [3] dušach dušoma [2] endings of soft stem feminine GEN. pl. : apart from –ow ending there exists also –i : –y ending (Cf. [3]) – it follows numerals and prepositions and is always used in case of settlement names, e.g. duša – wjele dušy [3] i:y corelation after ź, ś, ć, j, l, ŕ, b’, p’, m’, ń, w’: -i after z, s, c, ž, š, č: -y [4] in indlection of feminine soft stem nouns ending with –wej in oblique cases e falls out and w is becoming softened, e.g. cerkwej-cerkwje `church` Soft stems ending with consonant a soft consonant or a historically soft-z, -s, -c, -ž, -š, -č sg. pl. du. NOM rěc `language` rěcy [3] rěcy [3] GEN rěcy [3] rěcow [2] rěcowu DAT rěcy [3] rěcam rěcoma ACC rěc rěcy [3] rěcy [3] INS rěcu rěcami rěcoma LOC rěcu [5] rěcach rěcoma [2] ending of GEN. pl. of consonant feminines: apart from the ending –ow there exists ending –i : –y (cf. [3]) – it follows numerals and prepositions and is always used in case of settlement names, e.g. rěc – wjele rěcy [3] i:y corelation (cf. Hard stems 3) [5] LOC. sg. endings of consonant feminies: (a) –i: for nouns ending with a soft consonant (ź, ś, ć, j, l, ŕ, b’, p’, m’, ń, w’), e.g. kazń-kazni `commmandment`(b) –u: for nouns ending with a historically soft consonant (z, s, c, ž, š, č) Alternative and relic forms [1] apart from INS. pl. ending with –ami there exist also an ending –ymi (imi), which is particularly often used with the names of domestic animals, np. gus - z gusymi `goose with geese` [2] a bookish and relatively rare word maś `mother` is a relic of a so-called r-stem declension: GEN. sg. maśerje (maśi) - DAT. sg. maśeri (maśi) - ACC. sg. maśeŕ - INS. sg. maśerju - LOC. sg. maśeri (maśi) - VOC. sg. maśi (maś) - du. and pl. regularly: maśeri, maśerjowu, etc. [3] a noun kněni `mistress` before surnames isn't inflected, e.g. daj to kněni Krawcowej