Questions & Answers about Musimy dopisać tę klauzulę do umowy.
How exactly does the prefix do- change the meaning of pisać here?
The base verb pisać means to write. The prefix do- adds the meaning of addition or completing a quantity. In dopisać, it specifically means adding new text to something already written, which is why it translates to appending or adding.
Why do we see do twice in this sentence (dopisać and do umowy)?
This is a classic Polish pattern. Verbs with the prefix do- (meaning addition or reaching a target) are very frequently paired with the preposition do followed by the genitive case. The prefix tells you how the action is done, and the preposition points to the receiving object.
Is it acceptable to say tą klauzulę instead of tę klauzulę?
In everyday spoken Polish, you will hear native speakers use tą as the accusative form. However, standard Polish grammar requires tę for the accusative case of feminine nouns, just as the noun itself changes to klauzulę. At a B2 level, it is best to stick to tę in writing.
What is the imperfective counterpart of dopisać if I want to say I am currently adding the clause?
The imperfective form is dopisywać. For example, if you are doing it right now, you would say Właśnie dopisuję tę klauzulę do umowy (I am just appending this clause to the contract).