dawnej

Dawnej is a form of the Polish adjective dawny, meaning “former” or “old.” It is not a separate word with its own meaning, but a declined form used with feminine nouns in certain cases. In particular, dawnej is the feminine singular form used in genitive (and, in many contexts, in locative) to agree with the noun it modifies. Because Polish adjectives agree with gender, number, and case, dawnej appears only when the described noun is feminine and in the appropriate grammatical case.

In usage, dawnej commonly appears in time-related phrases and descriptions of places or things as they existed in the past. Examples include dawnej epoki (of a former era), w dawnej Warszawie (in the former Warsaw), and dawnej literaturze (in old literature). The form helps specify that the noun is associated with a previous period or former state.

Dawnej is often contrasted with related forms. Dawnie is an adverb meaning “formerly” or “in the past,” used to modify verbs or clauses. The base adjective dawny has other inflected forms for masculine and neuter nouns, as well as nominative feminine forms such as dawna. The distinction between dawnej (a case-inflected form) and dawnie (an adverb) is an important part of correct Polish grammar.

In sum, dawnej functions as a grammatically required feminine, case-appropriate form of the adjective dawny, enabling precise references to past states or locations in Polish prose and speech.