Imperative Mood
Imperative mood for commands and polite requests
I can form commands and polite requests
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
Chodź tutaj!
Come here!
Proszę usiąść.
Please sit down.
Czytajcie ten tekst!
Please read this text!
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
Imperative Mood
Polish has three ways to give commands.
| Type | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Direct (you sg.) | stem | Chodź! Idź! Pisz! |
| Direct (you pl.) | + -cie | Chodźcie! |
| Polite | Proszę + inf. | Proszę usiąść. |
| 3rd person | Niech + verb | Niech pan siada. |
Learners use infinitive for commands (*Pisać!* instead of Pisz!). Use proszę + infinitive for polite requests.
Chodź tutaj!
Come here!
Chodź tutaj! — from chodzić, 3rd pl. chodzą → chodź (informal singular).
Proszę usiąść.
Please sit down.
Proszę usiąść — polite form uses proszę + infinitive.
Czytajcie ten tekst!
Please read this text!
Czytajcie ten tekst! — plural imperative: czytaj + -cie.
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises
Put it into practice
Try a free exercise from the courseFrequently asked questions
- When is Tryb rozkazujący used?
- Polish has three ways to give commands, from direct to polite.
- How is Tryb rozkazujący formed?
- Formation: Take the 3rd person plural present, remove -ą: pisz-ą → pisz! chodz-ą → chodź!
- What are common mistakes with Tryb rozkazujący?
- Learners use infinitive for commands (*Pisać!* instead of Pisz!) or forget softening with proszę in formal contexts. English speakers: English imperative is just the base form — no conjugation needed. Russian speakers: Russian imperative (пиши! пишите!) works similarly — good transfer. Czech speakers: Czech imperative (piš! pište!) is nearly identical in formation.