strzelaj

Strzelaj is a Polish verb form that functions as the imperative meaning “shoot!” It is the second-person singular informal imperative of the imperfective verb strzelać (to shoot, to fire). The form is commonly used in hunting, shooting practice, military or sport contexts, and in everyday speech to urge someone to take a shot or to begin shooting.

In ordinary speech, the verb strzelać is conjugated in the present tense as: ja strzelam, ty strzelasz, on strzela, my strzelamy, wy strzelacie, oni strzelają. The imperative forms are strzelaj for the singular informal and strzelajcie for the plural. The negative imperative is nie strzelaj (singular) or nie strzelajcie (plural). The imperfective nature of strzelać emphasizes the act of shooting rather than its completion, which affects how the imperative is understood in the moment of command. Polish also distinguishes the related perfective form strzelić, whose singular imperative is strzel (you shoot now) and whose plural is strzelcie.

Etymology traces strzelać to roots connected with strzała (arrow) and the historical sense of shooting with a weapon, including archery. Related nouns include strzał (a shot) and strzelec (shooter).

In usage, strzelaj appears in sports calls, drill instructions, and narrative anecdotes where someone is urged to attempt a shot. While primarily a command about firing a weapon, the term also appears in cultural expressions and is often understood within its linguistic and historical context. See also strzelić, strzał, and strzelec for related forms.