Samotnym

Samotnym is the instrumental singular form of the Polish adjective samotny, which means solitary, lonely, or isolated. It is used to describe masculine nouns in contexts expressing a state or manner, and it also appears with neuter nouns in the instrumental case. Common examples include samotnym człowiekiem (a lonely man) and samotnym życiem (a solitary life). The lemma of the form is samotny.

Etymology and scope: samotny derives from the Polish root associated with being by oneself, with cognates found throughout Slavic languages. The word has medieval attestations and is part of standard Polish vocabulary. The instrumental form samotnym reflects gendered and case-inflected Polish adjective morphology, aligning with the noun it describes.

Usage notes: In Polish, adjectives must agree with the gender, number, and case of the noun. The feminine instrumental singular form of samotny is samotną (e.g., samotną kobietą), and the plural instrumental form is samotnymi (e.g., samotnymi ludźmi). Samotnym conveys a sense of solitude or isolation and is common in both everyday speech and literature. It can describe personal feelings or external circumstances, but it should not be confused with osamotniony, which can imply a stronger or more involuntary isolation, or with samotnie, the adverb meaning “alone.”

Related terms: related forms include samotny (base form), osamotniony (more strongly isolated), and samotność (solitude). The adverbial form samotnie describes acting alone, while the plural or feminine forms adapt to the noun they modify.