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Questions & Answers about Будь ласка, закрий двері.
What does Будь ласка mean, and how is it used?
Будь ласка literally translates as “please.” It’s a fixed phrase used to make requests polite. You can place it at the beginning (Будь ласка, закрий двері) or at the end (Закрий двері, будь ласка) without changing the meaning.
Why is there no word for “you” in the sentence?
Ukrainian often omits subject pronouns because the verb ending indicates the subject. In закрий, the -ий ending shows it’s a 2nd person singular imperative (“you close”), so adding ти (“you”) is unnecessary.
What is the form закрий, and why not закривай or закрийте?
Закрий is the singular, informal imperative of the perfective verb закрити (“to close” as a completed action).
- Закривай is the imperfective imperative, implying ongoing or repeated action and is less common for a one-time request.
- Закрийте is the plural/formal imperative (addressing multiple people or formally one person).
Why is двері plural if it’s one door?
In Ukrainian, двері is a pluralia tantum noun (it only exists in plural). Even when referring to a single door, you use the plural form двері, and here it’s in the accusative plural as the direct object.
Is the comma after будь ласка required?
The comma after будь ласка is optional. It indicates a brief pause for politeness, but omitting it (Будь ласка закрий двері) is also correct, especially in informal writing.
Can I reorder the words in this sentence?
Yes. Ukrainian has relatively flexible word order for emphasis. Examples:
- Закрий двері, будь ласка. (placing будь ласка at the end)
- Двері, будь ласка, закрий. (emphasizing двері)
All are grammatically correct and polite.
How can I make the request sound even more polite or indirect?
You can use a polite question structure:
- Не міг би ти закрити двері, будь ласка? (“Could you close the door, please?” informal)
- Не могли б ви закрити двері, будь ласка? (“Could you close the door, please?” formal/plural)
These use conditional mood to soften the request.