kochaj

Kochaj is the second-person singular imperative form of the Polish verb kochać, meaning “to love.” It is used to issue a direct command or exhortation to someone to love.

Grammatical basics: kochać is the infinitive; present tense forms include kocham, kochasz, kocha, kochamy, kochacie, kochają. The imperative forms are kochaj (singular), kochajmy (let us love), and kochajcie (plural). The negative imperative is formed with nie, as in nie kochaj (don’t love). In everyday speech, kochaj may address a single person, while kochajcie addresses multiple people.

Usage: Kochaj is common in romantic, familial, and moral contexts. It can convey warmth and urgency, from affectionate encouragement to exhortations in spoken or written form. In more formal or literary registers, speakers may choose synonyms such as miłuj, or use phrases that express love in a broader sense rather than a direct command.

Origin and relation: Kochać belongs to the West Slavic language group and is the standard verb for “to love” in Polish. It has cognates and parallel expressions in other Slavic languages, though exact etymologies vary by language. The imperative kochaj is a core element of everyday Polish vocabulary and appears in proverbs, prayers, songs, and literary texts.

Examples: Kochaj swoich bliskich. Nie kochaj bez pamięci. Kochaj jak potrafisz.