Breakdown of Szef surowo zabrania pracownikom plotkować.
szef
boss (m)
pracownik
employee
zabraniać
to forbid
plotkować
to gossip
Questions & Answers about Szef surowo zabrania pracownikom plotkować.
Why is pracownikom in the Dative case?
The verb zabraniać (to forbid) is a control verb of command. Just like kazać (to order) and pozwalać (to allow), it dictates that the person being directed takes the Dative case. The boss is issuing a prohibition to the employees, so they become pracownikom.
Why are we using the imperfective verb plotkować (to gossip) instead of a perfective equivalent?
The boss is forbidding the activity of gossiping in general, establishing it as an ongoing rule in the workplace. When you forbid or allow a general, repeated action or a continuous habit, you must use the imperfective infinitive.
Can I rephrase this sentence using żeby instead of the infinitive?
Yes, you can! While using the infinitive is very concise and natural here, you could also say Szef surowo zabrania pracownikom, żeby plotkowali. This means the exact same thing but uses a subordinate clause. With verbs of commanding and forbidding, żeby is always a grammatically correct alternative.
The word surowo means strictly here. Doesn't the adjective surowy usually mean raw?
Yes, surowy is a great double-meaning word to master at the B2 level! When talking about food, it means raw (like surowe mięso). But when talking about rules, climate, punishments, or people's attitudes, it translates to strict, harsh, or severe. Here, the adverb surowo means strictly.