utrzymuj

Utrzymuj is the second-person singular imperative form of the Polish verb utrzymywać, used to tell someone to keep or maintain a state or process. It appears in everyday speech and formal writing when directing another person to preserve conditions such as cleanliness, order, or ongoing actions. The meaning can range from maintaining physical conditions to sustaining relationships or ongoing obligations.

Etymology and form: Utrzymuj comes from utrzymywać, built on the root trzymać (to hold) with the prefix u-, conveying deliberate maintenance or continuation. In ordinary usage, the verb is imperfective, describing ongoing or habitual actions. Conjugation (present indicative): ja utrzymuję, ty utrzymujesz, on utrzymuje, my utrzymujemy, wy utrzymujecie, oni utrzymują. Imperative forms include utrzymuj (singular) and utrzymujcie (plural).

Usage examples: Utrzymuj porządek w biurze. Utrzymuj dystans od innych zgodnie z zaleceniami. Utrzymuj kontakt z klientem, by zapewnić dobre relacje. In a technical context, it can mean to keep a system running, e.g., utrzymuj system w działaniu.

See also: utrzymanie (maintenance), utrzymywać (to maintain), utrzymujący (maintaining).

Note: While utrzymuj is primarily an imperative directive, its meaning hinges on context, and it appears across formal and informal registers when requesting someone to sustain a condition, practice, or process.