Breakdown of Zamknij proszę okno, bo jest przeciąg.
być
to be
zamknąć
to close
proszę
please
okno
the window
Questions & Answers about Zamknij proszę okno, bo jest przeciąg.
What does zamknij mean, and what form is it?
Zamknij is the imperative form, meaning close!
It comes from the verb zamknąć (to close, perfective). In this sentence, it is directed to one person in an informal way.
So:
- zamknąć = to close
- zamknij! = close!
Because it is perfective, it suggests one complete action: close the window.
Why is it zamknij and not zamykaj?
This is about aspect, which is very important in Polish.
- zamknij comes from zamknąć (perfective)
- zamykaj comes from zamykać (imperfective)
In this sentence, zamknij is used because the speaker wants one completed action: the window should end up closed.
zamykaj would sound different. It could suggest:
- a repeated action,
- a general instruction,
- or an ongoing process, depending on context.
So here:
- Zamknij okno = Close the window / Shut the window
- Zamykaj okno = more like Close the window regularly or Be closing the window, depending on context
For a simple request in a specific moment, zamknij is the natural choice.
What does proszę do in this sentence?