rzeczpospolita

See also: Rzeczpospolita

Polish

Etymology

Univerbation of rzecz (“thing”) +‎ pospolita (“common”). Calque of Latin rēspūblica (“public affair”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ʐɛt͡ʂ.pɔˈspɔ.li.ta/, /ʐɛt͡ʂ.pɔ.spɔˈli.ta/
Audio (file)
Rhymes: -ita
Syllabification: rzecz‧po‧spo‧li‧ta
Homophone: Rzeczpospolita

Noun

rzeczpospolita f (abbreviation rzplita)

(archaic) republic or commonwealth

Usage notes

The word is nowadays nearly always used in reference to the official name of the Republic of Poland, Rzeczpospolita Polska (abbrev. RP). Other examples: Rzeczpospolita Obojga Narodów literally Commonwealth of Two Nations, but in English more commonly seen as Commonwealth of Poland and Lithuania, Polska Rzeczpospolita Ludowa Polish People's Republic (abbrev. PRL). See Rzeczpospolita for other usages.

Other republics are called republika in Polish.

Declension

May be declined either as two separate words or as one word with adjectival declension. Both forms are considered correct.

Two-word declension:

Declension of rzeczpospolita

	singular	plural
nominative	rzeczpospolita	rzeczypospolite
genitive	rzeczypospolitej	rzeczypospolitych
dative	rzeczypospolitej	rzeczompospolitym
accusative	rzeczpospolitą	rzeczypospolite
instrumental	rzecząpospolitą	rzeczamipospolitymi
locative	rzeczypospolitej	rzeczachpospolitych
vocative	rzeczypospolita	rzeczypospolite

One-word declension: