Zaskakuj

Zaskakuj is the second-person singular imperative form of the Polish verb zaskakiwać, meaning to surprise or astonish someone. It is formed from the imperfective aspect, which indicates the action is viewed as ongoing or repeated rather than a single completed event. Its perfective counterpart is zaskoczyć, whose imperative is zaskocz.

In Polish grammar, zaskakuj is used to address someone informally (ty) and to urge them to perform the act of surprising, potentially again and again. Imperatives from imperfective verbs often emphasize habit or repeated action, whereas the corresponding perfective forms focus on a single, completed action. Therefore, zaskakuj is more likely to appear in literary, humorous, or instructional contexts than in everyday speech, where zaskocz would be used to indicate a one-time surprise.

Pronunciation is approximately [zaˈska.kuj], with the stress on the penultimate syllable. Related forms include zaskakuję (I surprise), zaskakujesz (you surprise), and zaskakują (they surprise). The verb is related to zaskakiwać (to surprise, to astonish) and its perfective zaskoczyć (to surprise, to catch off guard).

Examples of usage include commands or prompts such as Zaskakuj mnie częściej (Surprise me more often) or Zaskakuj ich małymi gestami (Surprise them with small gestures). In contexts where a single surprise is intended, speakers typically use zaskoczyć or its imperative zaskocz.