Breakdown of Matka kazała córce wrócić wcześnie.
matka
the mother
córka
the daughter
wcześnie
early
kazać
to tell / to order (command)
wrócić
to return, to come back (perfective)
Questions & Answers about Matka kazała córce wrócić wcześnie.
Why is the word for daughter written as córce instead of córka?
The verb kazać (to order or to tell someone to do something) is a control verb that requires the person receiving the command to be in the Dative case. So, the Nominative córka changes to the Dative córce.
What causes the 'k' in córka to change to 'c' in córce?
Feminine nouns ending in -ka undergo a consonant mutation in the Dative and Locative cases. The 'k' softens to 'c' before the -e ending. You will see this same pattern in words like matka (matce) and Polska (Polsce).
Why is the perfective verb wrócić used here rather than the imperfective wracać?
The perfective wrócić is used because the mother gave an order for a single, specific, completed action. If she were establishing a general rule for her daughter to follow every time she goes out, you would use the imperfective wracać.
I often see kazać translated as 'to tell'. How do I know whether to use kazać or powiedzieć?
You use kazać when you are telling someone to DO something (giving a command or instruction followed by an infinitive). You use powiedzieć when you are telling someone a fact or a piece of information, which is usually followed by a clause starting with że.
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