The core structure: Verb + Dative + Infinitive
When you tell, allow, or forbid someone to do something, Polish uses a simple pattern: the verb of command or permission, the person receiving the order in the Dative case, and the action in the infinitive.
Ordering actions: kazać
The verb kazać translates to "to order" or "to tell (someone to do something)".
| The teacher ordered the students to be silent. | Nauczyciel kazał uczniom milczeć. |
| The mother ordered the daughter to return early. | Matka kazała córce wrócić wcześnie. |
Granting permission: pozwalać
To express that you are allowing an action, use the verb pozwalać.
| Parents allow the teenager to choose independently. | Rodzice pozwalają nastolatkowi samodzielnie wybierać. |
Use it in the negative to deny permission or restrict access:
| The neighbor does not allow us to approach his property. | Sąsiad nie pozwala nam zbliżać się do swojej własności. |
Forbidding actions: zabraniać
To explicitly forbid something, use zabraniać. The pattern remains exactly the same:
| The employer forbids employees from smoking in the office. | Pracodawca zabrania pracownikom palić w biurze. |
| The doctor forbids the patient from getting up. | Lekarz zabrania pacjentowi wstawać. |
You can add emphasis with adverbs like surowo (strictly). Notice how adjectives acting as nouns, like nieletni (minor), take standard dative plural endings (nieletnim).
| The owner strictly forbids minors from buying alcohol. | Właściciel surowo zabrania nieletnim kupować alkohol. |
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