polski · A2 · verb · 4 minutes
Dawać: present tense
Use daj- forms and separate direct object from dative recipient.
Understand the choice
A giving sentence exposes two object roles. Dawać is imperfective for process/repetition; dać is perfective for one completed transfer.
Core rule: Dawać has daję, dajesz, daje, dajemy, dajecie, dają; recipient is dative, item accusative.
Notice it in context
Daję klientowi dokument i daję mu kopię.
I give the client a document and give him a copy.
Klientowi/mu are dative recipients; dokument/kopię are accusative items.
Dajecie dzieciom prezenty co roku.
You give children gifts every year.
Dzieciom is dative plural; prezenty accusative plural.
Proszę dać mi rachunek.
Please give me the bill.
Perfective dać follows proszę; mi is dative and rachunek direct.
What to remember
- Daj! is singular imperative; dajcie! plural.
- Dać has future dam, dasz, da….
Common trap: Do not mark the recipient accusative: daję klientowi, not klienta.