utrzymaj

Utrzymaj is the imperative form of the Polish verb utrzymać, meaning to keep, maintain, or retain. It is used to address a single person in the second person singular, functioning as a command or instruction.

In everyday language, utrzymaj signals a request to keep something in a given state or to hold it for a period. It can apply to physical objects, positions, or abstract conditions (for example: utrzymaj równowagę, utrzymaj dystans, utrzymaj standard). The nuance differs from other imperatives formed from related verbs in aspect and immediacy.

Morphology and related forms: utrzymaj is the second-person singular imperative of utrzymać (perfective). Related forms include utrzymajcie (second-person plural) and utrzymuj (imperative of the imperfective utrzymywać). The noun utrzymanie denotes maintenance or upkeep, and utrzymany is an adjective meaning kept or maintained.

Etymology: the form is derived from the verb utrzymać, itself stemming from trzymać (to hold) with a prefix that yields the perfective aspect. This prefixal development marks a completed or bounded action, as opposed to ongoing action in the imperfective counterpart.

Usage notes: choosing utrzymaj versus utrzymuj reflects aspect and nuance. utrzymaj often indicates a single action, a specific moment, or a direct instruction, whereas utrzymuj emphasizes ongoing maintenance or repetition. The expression is common in instruction manuals, safety notices, and everyday reminders.

See also: trzymać, utrzymanie, utrzymanie się, imperative forms in Polish.