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Questions & Answers about Zostań do jutra.
What form is the word Zostań?
It’s the 2nd person singular imperative of zostać (perfective “to stay/remain”). It’s a direct command to one person you address as informal ty.
How do I say this to more than one person?
Use the plural imperative: Zostańcie do jutra. (to a group you address as informal wy).
How do I make it polite/formal when speaking to someone I call Mr./Ms.?
Use one of these:
- Proszę zostać do jutra. (literal: “Please to stay until tomorrow.”)
- Niech Pan/Pani zostanie do jutra. (male/female addressee) For a group: Niech Państwo zostaną do jutra.
Why is it do jutra and not “do jutro”?
The preposition do (“until, up to”) requires the genitive case. The genitive of jutro (“tomorrow”) is jutra. So: do jutra = “until tomorrow.”
Does do jutra mean “until” or “by” tomorrow?
With verbs of staying/lasting like zostać, it means “until” (i.e., remain up to tomorrow). With deadlines, do jutra can mean “by tomorrow” (e.g., Zrób to do jutra = “Do it by tomorrow”).
Why perfective zostań and not imperfective zostawaj?
Polish uses the perfective in imperatives when the action has a clear endpoint or result. “Stay until tomorrow” is bounded, so zostań fits. Zostawaj would suggest an open-ended or ongoing process and sounds unnatural here.
How would I say “Don’t stay until tomorrow”?
- Neutral prohibition (ongoing activity): Nie zostawaj do jutra.
- “Don’t end up staying (by accident)” (avoid the result): Nie zostań do jutra. Both are possible, but the imperfective is the default for prohibitions.
How do you pronounce the sentence?
IPA: [ˈzɔstaɲ dɔ ˈjutra]
- ń = a soft “ny” sound (like Spanish ñ).
- j = English “y.”
- Stress is penultimate: ZÓ-stań do JÚ-tra (the preposition do is usually unstressed).
Can I add “please,” and where does it go?
Yes. Common options:
- Proszę, zostań do jutra.
- Zostań do jutra, proszę. For formal speech to one person: Proszę zostać do jutra.
Can I front the time phrase: Do jutra zostań?
You can, for emphasis on the timeframe: Do jutra zostań. The neutral, most common order is Zostań do jutra.
What’s the difference between zostań and zostaw?
- Zostań = “stay” (don’t go).
- Zostaw = “leave (it)!” (stop touching it / leave something behind).
Learners often mix them up—don’t! For “leave (a place),” use verbs like wyjdź (go out) or wyjedź (leave by vehicle).
Is there a more formal/literary synonym for zostań?
Yes: Pozostań do jutra. It sounds more formal or literary than everyday zostań.
What other time expressions work with do + genitive?
- do rana (until morning)
- do wieczora (until evening)
- do poniedziałku (until Monday)
- do przyszłego tygodnia (until next week)
How do I say “Stay for the night” or “Stay at my place until tomorrow”?
- “Stay for the night”: Zostań na noc.
- “Stay with me until tomorrow”: Zostań ze mną do jutra.
- “Stay at my place until tomorrow”: Zostań u mnie do jutra.
What’s going on with the letter ń in zostań?
ń marks a palatalized “n” (soft “ny”). In imperatives of verbs like stać / wstać / zostać, the ending is -ń: stań, wstań, zostań.
Is jutro a noun or an adverb here?
With do, it behaves as a noun and takes the genitive: do jutra. On its own, jutro is commonly an adverb meaning “tomorrow.”
Is Do jutra! related to this?
Yes. Do jutra! is a set farewell meaning “See you tomorrow!” It’s the same do + genitive structure, used elliptically.
How do I say “Let’s stay until tomorrow”?
Use the 1st person plural imperative: Zostańmy do jutra.
Is there any nuance about how long “until tomorrow” means?
Literally, it’s “until (the start of) tomorrow,” but in everyday speech it implies “stay overnight and leave tomorrow,” without specifying an exact time.
What’s the difference between do jutra and na jutro?
- do jutra = until/by tomorrow (endpoint/deadline).
- na jutro = for tomorrow (scheduling or allocation), e.g., Zostawmy to na jutro (“Let’s leave it for tomorrow”).