pisać

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *pьsati, *pisati, from Proto-Balto-Slavic *peiśtei or *peiśātei, from Proto-Indo-European *péyḱ-ye-ti, ye-present of *peyḱ- (“to stitch, embroider, paint, mark”), whence English paint and picture.

• IPA^(key): /ˈpi.sat͡ɕ/

• Audio 1, pisać

  (file)

• Audio 2, pisać się

  (file)

• Rhymes: -isat͡ɕ
• Syllabification: pi‧sać

pisać impf (perfective napisać, indeterminate pisywać)

1. (transitive, intransitive) to write (to form letters, words or symbols on a surface in order to communicate)
2. (transitive) to write (to compose a text for written or printed reproduction or publication)
3. (intransitive) to write (to engage in written conversation)
4. (intransitive) to write (to be an author)
5. (transitive, intransitive) to write, to take (to fill in a written exam)
6. (intransitive, colloquial) to say (to indicate in a written form)

   Gazety piszą zgoła co innego.

   The newspapers say something entirely different.

7. (intransitive, impersonal, colloquial, proscribed) to say, to state, to read (to indicate in a written form)

   Na ich stronie internetowej pisze, że urządzenie jest wykonane z komponentów najwyższej jakości.

   Their website says that the device is built of top-tier quality components.

   Na etykiecie wyraźnie pisze, do czego służy urządzenie.

   The label clearly states what the device is designed for.

8. (reflexive, colloquial) to be down to, to be ready [+ na (instrumental) = something]

Unlike in other Slavic languages (Slovene pisati, Serbo-Croatian pisati, Macedonian пишува (pišuva), Bulgarian пиша (piša)), the impersonal sense is generally not considered to be standard in Polish, and it is stigmatized as "incorrect" by Polish prescriptive authorities. The sanctioned way of expressing the "to indicate in a written form" meaning is jest napisane (passive voice of napisać) or napisano (impersonal past).

• pisać in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• pisać in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Cognates include Lower Sorbian pisaś.

pisać (imperfective, perfective napisać)

1. to write