Students of Polish as a foreign language don’t have much difficulty using names of nationalities. The instrumantal case, which we use to talk about nationalities, is a regular one, and its endings are easy to remember (Jestem Francuzem/Francuzką – Hiszpanem/Hiszpanką – Polakiem/Polką – Rosjaninem/Rosjanką). There are only a few difficult moments, especially in case of the female forms, which might be a challange because of alterations. Accordingly, we say: on jest Norwegiem/Włochem/Czechem/ Słowakiem/Grekiem/Turkiem, but ona jest Norweżką/Włoszką/Czeszką/Słowaczką/ Greczynką/Turczynką.
UNTYPICAL NAMES OF NATIONALITIES IN POLISH
There are more problems with the nationalities that didn’t exist in the minds of Polish speakers until quite recently. That’s usually because the inhabitants of the given country used to be the citizens of another, bigger country. Who we have in mind are, first of all, the inhabitants of the former Soviet Union and Yugoslavia. While it is relatively easy to name some of them, such as Liwin – Litwinka (Lithuanian), Estończyk – Estonka (Estonian), Gruzin – Gruzinka (Georgian), Chorwat – Chorwatka (Croatioan), the other ones are a fascinating cultural and linguistic mosaic. We should remember that the citizens of Moldova are called Mołdawianin and Mołdawianka, Montenegro (Czarnogóra) – Czarnogórzec and Czarnogórka, Azerbaijan – Azer and Azerka (or Azerbejdżanin and Azerbejdżanka), Kyrgyzstan – Kirgiz and Kirgijka, Tajikistan – Tadżyk, Tadżyjka, Kazakhstan – Kazach, Kazaszka, Armenia – Armeńczyk and Armenka (or Ormianin and Ormianka), Latvia – Łotysz and Łotyszka.
COUNTRIES WITHOUT NAMES OF NATIONALITIES
There are countries, whose citizens don’t have a specific name in the Polish language. That is the case of The Republic of South Africa (RPA), Ivory Coast (Wybrzeże Kości Słoniowej), The United Arab Emirates (ZEA, Zjednoczone Emiraty Arabskie), Vatican (Watykan), Liechtenstein, Fiji. And there appear names that are so rare or hard to use, e.g. Monakijczyk – Monakijka, Andorczyk – Andorka, Sanmaryńczyk – Sanmarynka, that when speaking we go for the easier forms to use and say: mieszkaniec/mieszkanka Monako, Andory, San Marino (the inhabitant of Monaco, Andorra, San Marino).
