daj mi
informal
The English phrase 'give me' is translated into Polish as daj mi. Wiktionary also lists dajcie mi and proszę mi dać.
Meaning: expression of preference (verb)
Ways to say it
| Polish | Note |
|---|---|
| daj mi | informal |
| dajcie mi | |
| proszę mi dać | formal |
The phrase is used as an expression of preference.
Which one should you use?
daj mi is used when addressing a single person in an informal setting, while dajcie mi is used when addressing a group of people. proszę mi dać is a more polite and formal way to request something compared to the direct imperative daj mi.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
daj mi is an informal way to say 'give me'. For formal situations, use proszę mi dać, which translates to 'please give me'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word daj is the singular imperative form of the verb dać (to give). The word mi is the dative case of ja (I), used here to indicate the recipient of the object. When addressing a group of people informally, the imperative form dajcie mi is used.
Did you know?
- The word proszę used in proszę mi dać is a versatile 'magic word' that can also mean 'here you go', 'please', 'you're welcome' or even 'pardon'.
- In very informal settings, daj can be used as a filler word or a way to say 'come on' or 'stop it' when someone is joking, regardless of whether anything is being given.
- The verb dać shares an ancient root with the English word 'give', both tracing back to the Proto-Indo-European root *deh₃-.
Examples in context
- Daj mi tę książkę.Give me the book.This is useful for requesting a book using daj mi.Tatoeba #560179 by Bilberry, translation #43899 by CK
- Daj mi swoją broń.Give me your weapon.This is useful for requesting a weapon using daj mi.Tatoeba #4872955 by jeedrek, translation #3151437 by CK
- Daj mi drugą rękę.Give me your other hand.This is useful for requesting a hand using daj mi.Tatoeba #4872970 by jeedrek, translation #3151441 by CK
- Proszę mi dać długopis.Please give me a pen.
- Daj mi książkę.Give me a book.
- 79 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Tomasz and Małgorzata are eating dinner together.
- TomaszDaj mi sól, proszę.Give me the salt, please.
- MałgorzataOto sól, Tomaszu.Here is the salt, Tomasz.
- TomaszDaj mi teraz ten pieprz.Give me that pepper now.
- MałgorzataProszę bardzo.Here you go.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “give me” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dać, mi, proszę, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
