Commands flip aspect under nie
Affirmative commands are usually PERFECTIVE — you want the thing done: Zamknij okno! But tell someone NOT to do something and Polish switches to the IMPERFECTIVE:
| do it! | don't do it! |
|---|---|
| Zamknij okno! | Nie zamykaj okna! |
| Kup chleb! | Nie kupuj chleba! |
| Otwórz drzwi! | Nie otwieraj drzwi! |
A prohibition is about the activity itself, not its completion — so the imperfective (zamykać, kupować, otwierać) takes over.
| Do not close the window, please. | Nie zamykaj okna, proszę. |
| Do not buy this cheese, it is old. | Nie kupuj tego sera, jest stary. |
Note the object: negation sends the Accusative to the Genitive, as always (okna, sera).
With niech
Third-person commands negate the same way:
| Let the children not watch this film. | Niech dzieci nie oglądają tego filmu. |
The perfective warning
A negated PERFECTIVE imperative is not a prohibition but a warning about a one-off slip: Nie zgub kluczy! (don't lose the keys!), Nie zapomnij! (don't forget — mind you remember!). Compare
Your questions are stored by us to improve Elon.io
