Varuj

Varuj is a verb form found in Czech and Slovak, where it functions as the second-person singular imperative of the verb varovat (Czech) / varovať (Slovak), meaning to warn or to caution. The core sense is to alert someone to danger or to advise them to take precautions. In everyday use, varuj is often part of a broader phrase such as varuj se, which means beware or take care.

Usage and meaning

In practical terms, varuj is used to issue a warning or to instruct someone to be cautious. It appears in safety notices, instructions, and conversations about risks. Because it is an imperative form, its subject is typically omitted and understood as "you." The phrase varuj se adds a reflexive element and conveys a stronger sense of heedfulness, i.e., beware of danger.

Grammar and variants

Varuj is the present tense imperative form for the second person singular. Related forms include varieties of the verb varovat/varovať in other persons and tenses, as well as the noun varování/varovanie, meaning “warning.” The imperative can be softened or made more formal with different constructions, but varuj remains the direct command form.

Cognates and territory

The form varuj is characteristic of West Slavic languages, most notably Czech and Slovak. Other Slavic languages have different verbs and imperative forms for “to warn,” so varuj is not universally used across the family.

See also

Varování (warning), Varovat (to warn), Varovný (warning).