Learn Hardcore Polish: Nalej proszę wodę do szklanki. - Pour water into the glass, please.

Nalej is the 2nd person singular imperative of the perfective verb nalać “to pour (a portion), to pour until a desired amount is reached.” It’s a one-time, completed action request: “Pour.”

Imperfective partner: nalewać (“to be pouring/ to pour repeatedly”); imperative: nalewaj (used for ongoing/repeated action).
There’s also lać (imperfective “to pour”) with imperative lej, often used as “keep pouring” or during a continuous action.
Perfective verbs don’t have a present tense; their “present” forms are future (e.g., naleję = “I will pour”). The imperative nalej asks for a single, complete act now.

Why is it wodę and not woda or wody?

Wodę is the accusative singular of woda and is the direct object of the verb (“pour what?” → water).
However, with mass nouns, Polish very often uses the partitive genitive to mean “some” in a neutral, non-specific way. So you’ll hear the highly natural: Nalej, proszę, wody do szklanki = “Please pour some water into the glass.”
Using wodę (accusative) typically implies a specific/defined amount or “the water (we have in mind).” Both are grammatical; wody sounds more idiomatic in everyday requests unless a specific water/portion is meant.

Why is it do szklanki (genitive), not do szklanka or w szklankę?

The preposition do always takes the genitive. Szklanka (nom.) → szklanki (gen.). Do szklanki = “into the glass.”
Polish can also express “into” with w + accusative, but with liquids and the act of pouring, do + genitive is strongly preferred and sounds natural: (w) w szklankę here would be odd, while do szklanki is the norm.

How polite is proszę here, and can it move around in the sentence?

Proszę functions like “please” (literally “I request”). It softens the imperative and can appear in different places:

Proszę, nalej wody do szklanki.
Nalej, proszę, wody do szklanki.
Nalej proszę wody do szklanki. In careful writing, it’s common to set it off with commas when parenthetical: Nalej, proszę, wody do szklanki.

How do I say “Pour me some water into the glass”?

Add a dative pronoun:

Nalej mi, proszę, wody do szklanki. Notes:
mi is the unstressed (clitic) form; use mnie for emphasis: Mnie nalej wody… (“Pour water for me (not someone else)…”).
The clitic mi prefers early/second position in the clause: Nalej mi, proszę, wody… sounds most natural.

How would I say this to more than one person?

Use the plural imperative:

Nalejcie, proszę, wody do szklanki.

How do I make this very polite/formal when addressing a stranger, waiter, or someone older?

Common options:

Neutral–polite: Proszę nalać wody do szklanki. (using the infinitive)
Formal with address: Niech pan/pani naleje wody do szklanki.
Extra polite question: Czy mógłby Pan/Pani nalać wody do szklanki? Capitalize Pan/Pani in written requests.

What’s the difference between nalej and lej?

Nalej (perfective) asks for a single, completed action: “Pour (enough/a portion).”
Lej (imperfective, from lać) focuses on the process: “Pour (keep pouring/while I watch).” Example: Lej, lej… stop! vs Nalej trochę wody (pour some water—complete the act).

Is there a difference between nalej and wlej?

Both can work with liquids:

Nalać often emphasizes serving a portion (drinks, soup): Nalej mi kawy.
Wlać emphasizes putting a liquid into something (container/space): Wlej olej do silnika. With a glass of water, both are possible; nalać is slightly more idiomatic for serving: Nalej wody do szklanki.

Is Nalej proszę wody do szklanki better than Nalej proszę wodę do szklanki?

In everyday speech, Nalej, proszę, wody do szklanki is more neutral and idiomatic (“pour some water”). The accusative wodę is fine if you mean a specific/known portion or “the water (we’re referring to).”

Can I drop the “into the glass” part if the context is obvious?

Yes. For example: Nalej, proszę, wody. If you later specify the container, add it with do: Nalej wody do tej szklanki.

Is poproszę a good replacement for proszę here?

No. Poproszę means “I’ll have / I would like (please),” used to order/request an item, not to tell someone to do something.

At a cafe: Poproszę wodę. (“Water, please.”)
Giving an instruction: Nalej, proszę, wody do szklanki.

What case is szklanki, and what are the key forms of szklanka and woda relevant here?

Szklanki is genitive singular (after do). Key forms:
woda: nom. woda, acc. wodę, gen. wody
szklanka: nom. szklanka, gen. szklanki, acc. szklankę

Any tips for pronouncing the tricky clusters?

nalej: NA-ley (j like English y).
proszę: PRO-sheh; sz = sh; final ę is a lightly nasalized “eh,” often just “eh” in casual speech.
wodę: VO-den (Polish w = English v; final ę as above).
szklanki: sh-KLAN-kee; cluster szk = “shk.”

Where exactly should I place mi and proszę?

Clitic mi tends to appear early (so-called “second position”): Nalej mi, proszę, wody…
Proszę can be initial, medial, or final; in writing, set it off with commas when parenthetical: Nalej, proszę, wody…
Avoid Mi nalej… unless you use the stressed Mnie for emphasis: Mnie nalej wody…

What’s the negative imperative?

Imperfective for “don’t (be) pouring”: Nie nalewaj wody do szklanki.
Simple process-focused: Nie lej wody do szklanki.
Formal: Proszę nie nalewać wody do szklanki. (infinitive construction)