polski · B2 · grammar · 4 minutes
Impersonal past forms in -no/-to
Report completed actions without naming an actor using invariant -no/-to forms.
Understand the choice
These forms are common in reports, news, and instructions when the human actor is irrelevant or deliberately omitted. Unlike a passive, the object remains accusative and the form stays invariant.
Core rule: Past impersonal -no/-to forms derive from passive-participle stems, take accusative objects, and do not agree with them.
Notice it in context
Wczoraj podpisano umowę i wysłano dokumenty.
Yesterday the contract was signed and documents sent.
Podpisano/wysłano are invariant; umowę is feminine accusative and dokumenty plural accusative.
W urzędzie sprawdzono wszystkie wnioski.
All applications were checked at the office.
Sprawdzono stays singular/invariant; wnioski are objects.
Nie podano przyczyny opóźnienia.
The reason for the delay was not given.
Negated podano takes genitive przyczyny; opóźnienia is genitive complement.
What to remember
- The implied actor is human/general, similar to English they/one.
- Present general impersonal often uses się or third plural.
Common trap: Do not make -no/-to agree with the object.