naszemu

Naszemu is the dative singular masculine and neuter form of the Polish possessive determiner nasz, meaning “our.” It is used to indicate that something belongs to or is designated for a group including the speaker. The form appears with masculine and neuter nouns in the dative case.

In use, naszemu accompanies masculine or neuter nouns in the dative singular. For example: Daj to naszemu przyjacielowi (Give this to our friend). Dłuższą wersję: Daj to naszemu bratu (Give this to our brother). With feminine nouns, the dative form is naszej, as in: Pomóżmy naszej koleżance (Let us help our female friend). In the plural, the corresponding dative form is naszym, as in: Daj to naszym dzieciom (Give this to our children) or Daj to naszym przyjaciołom (to our friends).

Naszemu, like other Polish possessive adjectives, inflects for gender, number and case and forms part of the broader system of possessive pronouns that express inclusivity of the speaker and others in the group. It coexists with other forms such as nasza, nasze, and naszych, which cover feminine, neuter, and plural contexts.

Etymology and cognates: nasz derives from a Proto-Slavic root meaning “our,” related to similar forms in other Slavic languages, such as Russian наш (nash) and Ukrainian наш (nash). These forms share the same semantic core of indicating possession by a group including the speaker.

See also: Polish grammar, possessive adjectives, declension.