zastawu

Zastawu is the genitive singular form of the Polish noun zastaw, which refers to a collateral or pledge used to secure an obligation, most often a loan. In legal and commercial contexts, a zastaw represents a security interest granted by a debtor (the zastawca) to a creditor (the zastawnik) to guarantee the repayment of a debt or performance of an obligation.

In practice, zastaw functions as a right that allows the creditor to satisfy claims from the pledged asset if the debtor defaults. The debtor typically retains possession of the collateral, unless the agreement provides otherwise, while the creditor holds a priority claim over the pledged item. Enforcement procedures and the handling of the collateral are governed by civil law and the specific terms of the agreement. Depending on the object pledged, the security may involve movable property (zastaw na ruchomościach) or, less commonly, rights or claims the debtor possesses.

The term zastawu appears in phrases such as wartość zastawu (the value of the collateral), umowa zastawu (pledge agreement), or ustanowienie zastawu (the creation of a pledge). It is used across financial, commercial, and legal texts to discuss the scope, value, and enforcement of collateral arrangements. Zastaw is one among several forms of security interests in Poland, alongside other mechanisms like hipoteka (mortgage) for real estate.

Etymologically, zastaw derives from the root related to placing or pledging something as security. The form zastawu specifically marks possession or relation in the genitive case.