Odbywa

Odbywa is a Polish verb form linked to the imperfective verb odbywać, which in general means to take place, occur, or to perform/carry out an action. In common usage, odbywać się is a reflexive construction used to express that an event or meeting takes place. The verb has a perfective counterpart, odbyć, used to indicate completion or a definite occurrence, as in an event that will or did take place.

Etymology and forms

Odbywać is formed with the prefix od- attached to the root of bywać, a frequent imperfective verb meaning to occur or to happen. The presence of the reflexive particle się with odbywać yields the intransitive sense “to take place” or “to occur.” The perfective counterpart is odb yć, used in contexts such as planned or completed events. In present tense, the forms without reflected pronoun are used for transitive senses, while the reflexive form is standard for events: odbywa się, odbywają się.

Usage and examples

The primary use is to describe events, meetings, or ceremonies when they occur. Examples include: Wydarzenie odbywa się jutro. The event is taking place tomorrow. Konferencja odbędzie się w przyszłym tygodniu. The conference will take place next week. Past usage appears as Odbyło się w zeszłym miesiącu. The event took place last month. These constructions are common in formal, journalistic, and official communication.

Related terms

Related forms include odbywać (infinitive, imperfective, transitive sense), odbyć (perfective), and odbycie or odbywanie as nouns denoting the act or process of taking place or carrying out.

See also

odbywać się, odbicie, odbędzie się, odbyte.