Poverty & Homelessness: Grammar (AQA GCSE Polish): Revision Note

Genitive case (brak + genitive)

• Use brak + genitive to say “lack of / no / absence of” something

• brak = lack / absence

• The noun after brak must be in the genitive case

• Examples — Poverty and Homelessness

• brak + genitive is very useful for explaining causes and problems:

  • Brak pracy może prowadzić do biedy.
    Lack of work can lead to poverty.

  • Brak pieniędzy może powodować problemy.
    Lack of money can cause problems.

  • Bezdomność często wynika z braku mieszkania.
    Homelessness often results from a lack of accommodation.

• brak is a noun (lack), but on its own it can also mean 'there is no': Brak czasu. = There's no time

  • Nie ma domu. → There is no home

  • Brak domu. → Lack of a home

  • Brak pieniędzy. → Lack of money

Comparatives and superlatives

• Use comparatives to compare two things and superlatives to say that something is the most or least of its kind

Comparatives

Superlatives

Add naj- to the comparative form:

• To miasto jest biedniejsze niż Londyn.
  This town is poorer than London.

• Czynsz jest droższy niż wcześniej.
  The rent is more expensive than before.

• Bezdomność jest jednym z najpoważniejszych problemów społecznych.
  Homelessness is one of the most serious social problems.

• To jest najbiedniejsza dzielnica miasta.
  This is the poorest area of the city.

This table shows the three degrees of comparison in Polish