# usage of verb zapomnieć (choice of case)



## Lorenc

The verb _zapomnieć_ `to forget' can be used with these two meanings:
1) to be unable to remember a fact or piece of information (_przestać pamiętać_).
2) not bring something with you because you did not remember it (_nie wziąć ze sobą_)

My questions is whether in the two cases above (1, 2) one should use the accusative (zapomnieć kogo/coś) or the genitive (zapomnieć kogo/czego).
Let's leave aside other possible forms such as _zapomnieć o/że/jak/gdzie/kiedy _etc_._

Which (if any) the given possibilities is correct:
(meaning 1)
a) Zapomniałem jego imię / jego imienia
b) Zapomniałem pin / pin-u do karty
c) Zapomniałem hasło / hasła do wifi

(meaning 2)
d) Zapomniałem klucze / kluczy do mieszkania
e) Zapomniałem parasol / parasola (w domu)
f) Zapomniałem mapę / mapy (w kuchni na stole)

It seems to me that when used with meaning 1 both accusative and genitive are grammatically possible (perhaps with genitive being more common), while in case 2 only genitive (_kluczy, parasola, mapy_) is acceptable. All dictionaries I consulted are ambiguous (eg wikisłownik among many others) because they list _zapomnieć _as transitive verb (thereby implying accusative should be used) both for case 1 and 2.


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## Ben Jamin

I would like to begin with an explanation that this subject is unclear for many Poles. It was already unclear for 50 ears ago when Urszula Sipińska sang a song including words: "zapomniałam twoje oczy, zapomniałam twoje usta". There was a storm in the media with allegations that this was incorrect Polish. I think that now, 50 years later the confusion is even larger. The reason is that the word _zapomnieć _is used mostly in the meaning 2), which is quite out of question when talking about forgetting somebody's eyes or lips. I would tip that in 99% we speak about forgetting to take something along.
That's why a large part of Polish speakers uses only the genitive case in all meanings. I think that within a generation the use 1 an 2 will merge and become a norm.
Meanwhile, according to the traditional, XX-century Polish the choice is:

(meaning 1)
a) Zapomniałem jego imię / jego imienia: Both cases are possible, because both meanings are possible. The first one is rather bookish and not likely to be used in a daily conversation.
b) Zapomniałem pin / pin-u do karty: Both cases are possible, but the second would suggest that you can retrieve the pin from a hidden place, while the first is a hopeless situation.
c) Zapomniałem hasło / hasła do wifi: The same as above

(meaning 2)
d) Zapomniałem klucze / kluczy do mieszkania. Only the genitive can be used.
e) Zapomniałem parasol / parasola (w domu). I am not quite sure, but I think that both are possible, as the word "zapomniałem" can be a synonym of "zostawiłem".
d) Zapomniałem mapę / mapy (w kuchni na stole). The same as above.


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## Lorenc

Ben Jamin said:


> I would like to begin with an explanation that this subject is unclear for many Poles.


Well, that's reassuring! Thanks for the clarification. I've also found an answer on the 'poradnia językowa PWN' web site exactly on this topic, and the answer by Mirosław Bańko confirms your explanation and what I suspected: for meaning 1 (=being unable to retrieve a fact from memory) both accusative (as used by Sipińska) and genitive are correct, while for meaning 2 (=not have something on you because you left it behind) only genitive is correct.
Given that, I'm not sure why you hesitate over examples e) and f) : the declared meaning is 'leave behind', as further hinted at by words in brackets, so I'd say that (prescriptively speaking) only _zapomniałem parasola / mapy_ are correct. Yes, _zapomniałem _is synonym with _zostawiłem (niechcący) _in these cases but I don't quite see how this is relevant (each verb follows its own grammatical rules: e.g. _pomagać_ and _ratować_ can be near synonyms but need different contructions - _pomagać komuś w potrzebie / ratować kogoś w potrzebie_).


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## zaffy

I personally use the following forms ONLY. 

a) Zapomniałem jego imię.      (though it might me incorrect)
b) Zapomniałem pin-u do karty
c) Zapomniałem hasła do wifi


d) Zapomniałem kluczy do mieszkania
e) Zapomniałem parasola.
f) Zapomniałem mapy.


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## Ben Jamin

zaffy said:


> I personally use the following forms ONLY.
> 
> a) Zapomniałem jego imię.      (though it might me incorrect)
> b) Zapomniałem pin-u do karty
> c) Zapomniałem hasła do wifi
> 
> 
> d) Zapomniałem kluczy do mieszkania
> e) Zapomniałem parasola.
> f) Zapomniałem mapy.


Could you explain why you use a different case for "imię" and "pin"?


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## zaffy

I can't really explain this to you and that's why I said it might be incorrect. Perhaps it should be the genitive 'imienia' like in all other sentences, but I wouldn't say so and I guess all the people here in Malopolska wouldn't use this form either.


I can't imagine anyone saying 'Zapomniałem parasol'. This just sounds totally incorrect to me. So here in Malopolska we generally use the genitive form after zapomnieć.


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## Ben Jamin

zaffy said:


> I can't really explain this to you and that's why I said it might be incorrect. Perhaps it should be the genitive 'imienia' like in all other sentences, but I wouldn't say so and I guess all the people here in Malopolska wouldn't use this form either.
> 
> 
> I can't imagine anyone saying 'Zapomniałem parasol'. This just sounds totally incorrect to me. So here in Malopolska we generally use the genitive form after zapomnieć.


Your post reflects exactly my description in #2: the two meanings are in a process of merger. My prescriptive advice was based on the XX-century Polish, and will remain valid until our generation is still alive.


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## zaffy

I've just tested my wife, giving the words in the nominative case, so as not to suggest any forms.  She said

a) Zapomniałem jego imię.
b) Zapomniałem pin-u do karty
c) Zapomniałem hasła do wifi


d) Zapomniałem kluczy do mieszkania
e) Zapomniałem parasola.
f) Zapomniałem mapy.

In other words, she used exactly the same forms.


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## Poland91pl

zaffy said:


> I personally use the following forms ONLY.
> 
> a) Zapomniałem jego imię.      (though it might me incorrect)
> b) Zapomniałem pin-u do karty
> c) Zapomniałem hasła do wifi
> 
> 
> d) Zapomniałem kluczy do mieszkania
> e) Zapomniałem parasola.
> f) Zapomniałem mapy.


Exactly  though I think I'd say zapomniałem mapę


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