zamykamy

Zamykamy is a Polish verb form meaning we close, we shut, or we lock. It is the first person plural present tense of the imperfective verb zamykać, which denotes an ongoing or repeated action rather than a completed one. The form is commonly used in everyday speech and in written notices to indicate that a subject is actively performing the action of closing.

Usage and meanings

Zamykamy is used with a direct object when the action involves closing something tangible, such as a door or a shop: Zamykamy drzwi (We are closing the door) or Zamykamy sklep na noc (We are closing the shop for the night). It can also appear in announcements or schedules to state closing times, for example, Zamykamy o 18:00 (We close at 6 PM) or Zamykamy za pięć minut (We will close in five minutes). The term can be employed metaphorically to indicate ending or shutting down something non-physical, such as a program or an event, e.g., Zamykanie bazy danych or Zamykanie sesji.

Relation to other forms

Zamykamy is part of a larger verbal system built around the imperfective verb zamykać. Its perfective counterpart is zamknąć, used when referring to a completed act of closing. In future tense, the corresponding forms are Zamknęmy (we will close) or Zamkną (they will close), reflecting the distinction between ongoing versus completed action. The noun form describing the act is zamykanie (the act of closing).

Etymology and related terms

The verb zamykać belongs to the zerowy family of Polish imperfective verbs formed with the prefix za- attached to the stem zamyka-. Related nouns include zamykanie (the act of closing) and zamknięcie (the completed closure). In computing, phrases like zamykanie plików (closing files) illustrate its broad applicability beyond physical closing.