polski · A2 · verb · 4 minutes
Robić: past tense
Use robił- forms for ongoing or repeated past work.
Understand the choice
Past tense and aspect work together. Robiłam frames an action in progress; perfective zrobiłam would present its completion.
Core rule: Robić past uses robił-/robiła-/robili-/robiły- plus person endings; imperfective aspect presents process/habit.
Notice it in context
Robiłam obiad, kiedy zadzwonił telefon.
I was making lunch when the phone rang.
Robiłam marks a female speaker and ongoing lunch preparation; zadzwonił is completed interruption.
Co robiliście w weekend?
What were you doing at the weekend?
Robiliście addresses masculine/mixed wy.
Dzieci robiły zadanie, a ojciec robił kolację.
The children did homework while father made dinner.
Robiły versus robił shows category/gender agreement.
What to remember
- Zrobić has past zrobiłem/zrobiłam for a completed result.
- Aspect is separate from tense; both verbs have past forms.
Common trap: Do not assume every past action uses perfective.