szans

Szans is the genitive plural form of the Polish noun szansa, which means chance or opportunity. Szansa is a feminine noun, and szans is used when the noun is in a genitive plural position, such as after prepositions that govern the genitive or in phrases that express quantity or absence.

In practice, szans appears in contexts like bez szans (without any chances) or brak szans (a lack of chances). It contrasts with szanse, the nominative plural form used when the noun functions as the subject or topic of a sentence, as in dwie szanse (two chances). The choice between szanse and szans follows standard Polish declension rules for feminine nouns ending in -a, with szans serving the genitive plural form.

Origin and usage notes: the word szansa is a loanword in Polish, borrowed from German Chance and perfected through Polish inflection patterns. The form szans is a natural outcome of Polish grammar that marks genitive plural for feminine nouns of this class. While szans is common in everyday language, its use is mostly as part of fixed expressions or descriptive phrases rather than as a standalone word.

See also: szansa, Polish grammar, Polish nouns.