wzbudzaj

Wzbudzaj is a Polish verbal form that functions as the second-person singular imperative of the imperfective verb wzbudzać, meaning to arouse, awaken, or provoke. It is used to command someone to initiate or sustain an action that aims to stimulate a process, such as awakening interest, emotions, or curiosity, rather than to perform a single, completed act.

Etymology and grammar: The form is built from the prefix w- added to zbudzać, itself related to budzić (to wake). As an imperfective verb, wzbudzać emphasizes ongoing or repeated action. The imperfective imperative has forms such as wzbudzaj (singular) and wzbudzajcie (plural). The corresponding perfective counterpart wzbudzić has the imperative wzbudź (singular) and wzbudźcie (plural), used for more isolated, one-off actions.

Usage and nuance: In practice, wzbudzaj is more common in literary or instructional contexts and in prose where an ongoing effort to stimulate a state or attitude is described. It can be found in phrases like wzbudzaj zainteresowanie (arouse interest) or wzbudzaj w słuchaczu entuzjazm (evoke enthusiasm in an audience). The imperfective form places emphasis on the act of encouragement or stimulation, whereas the perfective wzbudź would denote a more punctual, completed arousal.

See also: wzbudzić, wzbudzanie, budzić. In translation, wzbudzaj conveys “arouse” or “stimulate” in an ongoing sense, while wzbudź corresponds to a single, decisive arousal.