pchaj

Pchaj is the second-person singular imperative form of the Polish verb pchać, which means to push. It is used to issue a command or exhortation to one person in informal address, directing them to push something or to continue pushing with an action.

Grammatical notes: pchaj is the imperfective imperative, reflecting ongoing or habitual pushing rather than a single completed action. For a single, completed push, Polish uses the perfective imperative form pchnij. The plural imperative forms include pchajcie (you all push) and other related forms for formal or informal address in different contexts.

Usage and examples: Pchaj ten wózek. (Push this cart.) Pchaj dalej, aż dotrzesz na miejsce. (Keep pushing forward until you reach the place.) In instructional or manual contexts, pchaj is common when guiding someone through a sustained task, such as pushing a cart or pushing equipment. Metaphorically, it can appear in motivational phrases to encourage continued effort, though more common equivalents exist in everyday speech.

Related forms: The verb pchać has various inflected forms across tenses and aspects. The imperfective-imperative pchaj contrasts with the perfective imperative pchnij, which emphasizes a completed push. Other imperative forms include pchajcie (plural) and polite/formal variants used in different registers.

See also: Polish verb pchać, imperative mood, aspect in Slavic languages, Polish grammar.