Breakdown of Не забудь оставить чаевые официанту после ужина.
не
not
ужин
the dinner
после
after
забыть
to forget
Questions & Answers about Не забудь оставить чаевые официанту после ужина.
Why is Не забудь used instead of Не забывай?
Both mean Don’t forget, but they differ in nuance/aspect:
- Не забудь = perfective imperative: don’t forget (this one specific time / make sure you do it).
- Не забывай = imperfective imperative: don’t forget (in general / habitually / repeatedly). In this sentence, it’s a one-time reminder about leaving a tip after dinner, so Не забудь fits best.
What grammatical form is забудь?
забудь is the imperative (command/request form) of the verb забыть (to forget, perfective).
It’s the 2nd person singular imperative, used with ты (informal you), even though ты is not stated.
How would I say the same thing more politely (to someone you address as вы)?
Use the plural/polite imperative:
- Не забудьте оставить чаевые официанту после ужина. Everything else stays the same; only забудь → забудьте changes.
Why is оставить used (perfective) and not оставлять (imperfective)?