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Questions & Answers about Użyj długopisu, proszę.
What does Użyj mean and which verb is it from?
Użyj is the second person singular imperative of the perfective verb użyć, meaning use in the sense of doing something once or to completion. Its imperfective counterpart is używać, whose singular imperative form is używaj (use regularly or habitually).
Why is długopisu in the genitive case rather than the accusative?
The perfective verb użyć governs the genitive case for its direct object. Therefore instead of the accusative długopis, you must use the genitive singular długopisu.
Could I say Użyj długopis or Użyj długopisem instead?
No. With użyć, the correct object case is genitive (długopisu). Accusative (długopis) and instrumental (długopisem) are not compatible with this verb. (The instrumental would fit verbs like posługiwać się – posługuj się długopisem.)
How do I pronounce długopisu, especially the letters ł and ą?
Phonetically it’s [dwugoˈpisu]. The letter ł sounds like English w, and ą is a nasalized o, similar to French on. Polish stress is on the penultimate syllable, so you say dłu-go-PI-su.
What is the function of proszę at the end of the sentence?
proszę is a politeness marker equivalent to please. Placing it at the end makes the command more courteous. You can also put it at the beginning: Proszę, użyj długopisu.
How would I make this request formal or address a group?
For a formal (or polite) singular you, use the infinitive plus proszę: Proszę użyć długopisu. To address multiple people informally, use the plural imperative: Użyjcie długopisu, proszę.
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