Imperative is used for commands and requests. For positive commands, you can use either perfective or imperfective verbs. For negative commands, you can use only imperfective verbs.
The imperative for
imperfective verbs is based on the stem of the verb from the
Present Tense singular third person
Examples
The imperative for
perfective verbs is based on the stem of the verb from the
Future Tense Simple singular third person.
Examples
Perfective vs imperfective verbs
Which verb aspect should you use for creating the positive commands? It depends on what you want to say. Imperfective verbs are for ongoing, continuous activities. Perfective verbs are for one time, finished activities. The example below presents the difference between pisz! and napisz!
Below both imperatives put in a real-life context:
Negative commands shouldn't use the perfective verbs. Thus this example is incorrect:
Nie zrób zadania!
Plural number imperatives
To create the imperative forms for plural number add -my or -cie to the second person singular imperative.
Examples
This rule stays valid for all the verbs, even if they have irregular stems.
Getting the stem of the verb
Below you can find rules for obtaining the stem of the verb:
- if the third person form ends with an
-a then add a -j to it.
Examples
- if the verb inifinitive form ends with
-awać, then the imperative form is created from the infinitive by replacing the -ć with -j
Examples
- if the third person form ends with an
-e, or a -y simply remove these vowels.
Examples
- if the third person form ends with an
-ie or an -i remove these vowels. Additionally, if there was c, s, n, dz or z before the vowels exchange it to ć, ś, ń, dź or ź
Examples
Apart from the above rules, sometimes there are additional irregularities in the stem. The most common one is o ➜ ó exchange.
Examples
Irregular imperative forms
Some verbs have irregular imperative forms.
Examples
Formal imperative forms
To create a formal request use niech, personal pronoun and the third person verb form instead of the imperative one.
Singular formal imperative:niech + Pan / Pani + the third person singular form
Plural formal imperative:niech + Panowie / Panie / Państwo + the third person plural form
Examples
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Cases - Noun Declension
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