Imperative + -це

Plural and Polite Imperative

Level 2Sounds Like zagadny lad -ce

Скажыце, калі ласка, дзе пошта? (Please tell me where the post office is.) Adding -це makes a command plural or polite.

How It Works

The plural imperative is simply the singular form plus -це. Build the ты form first (the singular imperative), then add the ending. The stress does not move.

  • чытай → чытайце (read)
  • рабі → рабіце (do)
  • пішы → пішыце (write)
  • скажы → скажыце (tell, say)
  • сядзь → сядзьце (sit down)
  • будзь → будзьце (be)
  • помні → помніце (remember)

Who it is for. Use it for any group, even a group of friends: Дзеці, ідзіце вячэраць! (Kids, come to dinner!) Also use it for one person you address as polite вы. Add калі ласка for a polite request: Скажыце, калі ласка, ...

Reflexive verbs. The -ся goes after -це, and the result is -цеся: мыйся → мыйцеся (wash), не хвалюйся → не хвалюйцеся (do not worry). See reflexive verbs.

A polite formula. Будзьце ласкавы (literally be so kind) opens a very polite request: Будзьце ласкавы, дапамажыце мне. (Please be so kind as to help me.)

Examples (6)

  1. Скажыце, калі ласка, дзе пошта?

    Please tell me where the post office is.

    Word by Word: Tell, please, where post-office?

  2. Дзеці, ідзіце вячэраць!

    Kids, come to dinner!

    Word by Word: Children, go to-dine!

  3. Сядайце, калі ласка.

    Please have a seat.

    Word by Word: Sit-down, please.

    Сядайце, from imperfective сядаць, is the usual polite invitation to sit.

  4. Пішыце нам!

    Write to us!

    Word by Word: Write to-us!

  5. Мыйце рукі перад ядой.

    Wash your hands before eating.

    Word by Word: Wash hands before food.

  6. Будзьце ласкавы, дапамажыце мне.

    Please be so kind as to help me.

    Word by Word: Be kind, help me.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the singular command for a group.

    Дзеці, ідзі сюды!
    Дзеці, ідзіце сюды!

    You are speaking to several children, so the command needs -це: ідзіце.

  • Inviting a standing guest to sit down with сядзіце, which means stay seated.

    Сядзіце, калі ласка.
    Сядайце, калі ласка.

    Сядзіце comes from сядзець and means stay seated. To invite a standing person to sit, use сядайце or сядзьце.

  • Putting -ся before -це in a reflexive command.

    Не хвалюйсяце!
    Не хвалюйцеся!

    The order is imperative, then -це, then -ся: хвалюй + це + ся.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Imperative + -цеLevel 2Plural and Polite Imperative

Learn This First

The plural imperative follows the singular.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.