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Questions & Answers about Подойдите к кассе, пожалуйста.
What exactly does the word “кассе” refer to here— the person or the place?
It refers to the place: the checkout counter/cash register/ticket window. So к кассе means “to the checkout (counter).” If you wanted to point to the person, you’d say к кассиру (“to the cashier”).
What form is Подойдите? Who is being addressed?
Подойдите is the 2nd person plural imperative. It’s used:
- to address more than one person, or
- to address one person politely (the formal “Вы”). Informal singular would be Подойди (“Come up/Approach,” said to a friend, child, etc.).
Why is к used, and what case is кассе?
К means “to/toward” and always takes the dative case. Касса (nom.) becomes кассе (dat. sing.). So к кассе = “toward the checkout.”
Why isn’t it кассу?
Кассу is the accusative (used after many verbs/prepositions like в or на). Because the preposition here is к, you need the dative: к кассе, not к кассу.
Why use the perfective подойти in the imperative, not the imperfective?
Perfective подойти focuses on a single, completed action (“come up once and reach the counter”). Imperfective подходить in the imperative (Подходите) stresses ongoing/repeated action and is used more like “keep coming up” or a general invitation (e.g., vendors calling out to passers-by).
Is Подходите к кассе wrong?
Not wrong, but different in nuance. Подходите к кассе can sound like “come on up (people), keep moving toward the counter”—an ongoing invitation to whoever’s next. For one specific request to a specific customer, Подойдите к кассе is more natural.
How is Пройдите к кассе different from Подойдите к кассе?
- Подойдите = “come up/approach” (focus on reaching the counter).
- Пройдите = “proceed/walk over” (focus on making your way there).
Both are polite service phrases; Пройдите can sound a bit more formal/instructional.
Where can I put пожалуйста, and do I need commas?
All of these are standard:
- Пожалуйста, подойдите к кассе.
- Подойдите, пожалуйста, к кассе.
- Подойдите к кассе, пожалуйста.
Because пожалуйста is a parenthetical politeness marker, it’s normally set off by a comma when inside the sentence. At the end, a comma before it is customary.
How polite is this? Would it be rude without пожалуйста?
With пожалуйста it’s a polite, customer-service style request. Without it (Подойдите к кассе.) it can sound more curt/instructional. Softer alternatives:
- Будьте добры, подойдите к кассе.
- Не могли бы вы подойти к кассе?
How do I pronounce the sentence and where is the stress?
Stress:
- подойдИте (stress on -ди-),
- к кАссе (stress on ка-),
- пожАлуйста (stress on -жа-).
IPA: [pədɐjˈdʲitʲe k ˈkasʲe pɐˈʐalʊjstə]
Tips: - й = “y” in “yes” (so доЙ).
- д/т before е/и are soft (palatalized).
- к кассе is pronounced with a long [k] (the two k’s run together).
- сс in кассе is long and soft before е ([sʲː]).
Can I say ко кассе instead of к кассе?
No; standard speech uses к кассе. The variant ко appears before certain words for euphony (e.g., ко мне, ко всем, ко входу, ко вторнику), but ко кассе sounds odd.
Can I drop the preposition and say Подойдите кассе?
No. Подойти requires к to mark the goal of motion. Подойдите кассе is ungrammatical. You need Подойдите к кассе.
Is в кассу or на кассу ever correct?
- В кассу (acc.) = “into/at the cashier (office)” is used in set phrases about payment: Оплатите в кассу (“Pay at the cashier”). But for physically approaching from outside, you say к кассе.
- На кассу is colloquial in workplace talk (employees: “I’m going to the register to work”), not what you say to customers.
Could I say к кассиру instead of к кассе?
Yes, but it changes the focus:
- к кассе = to the counter/checkout area.
- к кассиру = to the cashier (the person).
Both are possible; service staff often prefer к кассе since it points you to the location.
What’s the difference between Подойдите and Идите сюда?
- Подойдите (к кассе) = “Come up (to the counter)”—specific location, polite.
- Идите сюда = “Come here” (to where the speaker is). It doesn’t specify the counter unless the speaker is standing there. It can also sound a bit more direct.
How do I avoid confusing подойдИте (imperative) with подойдЁте (future “you will come up”)?
Forms:
- Imperative polite/plural: подойдИте (ending -ите).
- Future 2nd pl.: подойдЁте (ending -ёте; often printed without dots as подойдете, but pronounced with “yo”).
Example: Вы подойдёте к кассе? = “Will you come to the register?” vs. Подойдите к кассе = “Please come to the register.”