# Dajesz, dajesz!



## Encolpius

Hello, I could not find in any dictionary the idiom: Dajesz, dajesz! The context makes me feel it is used for encouraging people. Quite fascinating, the verb dawać is used. Does it mean something like: Come on! come one!    Thanks a lot.


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## Mori.cze

You might have encountered Czech "To dáš" in the sense "You will surely suceed" (e.g. pass an exam), or maybe "To nedávám" "I cannot cope with the situation".
I too am rather puzzled by the verb _to give_ taking this specific meaning (to manage/achieve something), however.


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## zaffy

Yes it's used for encouragement and it's a very common phrase. You can say it once or twice.

For example, someone's trying to learn to ski and is afraid to make the first move, just keeps standing on the spot. I'll tell them 'dajesz' or 'dajesz, dajesz', expecting them to start moving down the slope.


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## Encolpius

Yes, the Czech idiom mentioned above had crossed my mind, too. 
Is "Dajesz, dajesz" the commonest encouragement idiom in Polish? Are there any similar phrases?


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## zaffy

I guess you could also say "Dawaj!" or "Na przód!" but only when physical movement is involved.

But for me "Dajesz!" is the most natural.


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## Encolpius

Oh yes, I have known "dawaj" of course.


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## Ben Jamin

Encolpius said:


> Yes, the Czech idiom mentioned above had crossed my mind, too.
> Is "Dajesz, dajesz" the commonest encouragement idiom in Polish? Are there any similar phrases?


I have never heard that. Sounds strange for me. Must be quite new.


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## Encolpius

Interesting comment, Ben Jamin. There are quite a lot examples with that phrase on Yotube.


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## Ben Jamin

Encolpius said:


> Interesting comment, Ben Jamin. There are quite a lot examples with that phrase on Yotube.


Nevertheless people of my generation don't use it, and I don't participate in events where I could hear it.


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## Encolpius

Of course, I understand. What would you use? Dawaj???


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## Ben Jamin

Encolpius said:


> Of course, I understand. What would you use? Dawaj???


Probably yes.


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## zaffy

I would say 'Dajesz' is equally or even more popular than 'Dawaj' at least here in the south.

What's more, it sounds nicer than "Dawaj" to my ears because of other contexts where it sounds rude.


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## Encolpius

Yes, I (foreigner) think dajesz sounds softer, too.


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## Drakonica

Encolpius said:


> Does it mean something like: Come on! come one!


In some contexts "dać/dawać" means: to do something.
- Dawać nauczkę.
- Dawać radę.
- Dawać czadu

So, it can mean:
- You're doing it!
- You're doing great!

But informally we sometimes say "lecisz!" (you are flying!), to order somebody to "leć!" (fly!).
So, it can mean also:
- Do it!
- Go!
- Go! Go! Go!


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## jasio

Ben Jamin said:


> Nevertheless people of my generation don't use it, and I don't participate in events where I could hear it.


I use it. And as far as I am aware, I'm your generation. 😉
The only thing, in general I use this kind of  words of spontaneous encouragement less often than half a century ago.


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## Ben Jamin

jasio said:


> I use it. And as far as I am aware, I'm your generation. 😉
> The only thing, in general I use this kind of  words of spontaneous encouragement less often than half a century ago.


I am more conservative than you, and less exposed to younger generations of Polish speakers.


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## zaffy

Came across "No dawaj". I wouldn't add "no" though.


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## zaffy

Today I heard this conversation on a tram when two people got on it and were wondering where to stand/sit. 

A: Gdzie idziemy?
B: Dajesz tam.


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## marco_2

jasio said:


> I use it. And as far as I am aware, I'm your generation. 😉
> The only thing, in general I use this kind of  words of spontaneous encouragement less often than half a century ago.


For me, both 'dawaj, dawaj!' and 'dajesz!' look like direct loanwords from Russian, but if 'dawaj, dawaj!' was already used in the 1940s (if not earlier), especially in central and eastern Poland, I have never heard the expression 'dajesz!' before 1990s, which is surprising due to almost non-existent impact of Russian language on Polish at that time. The Russian "даёшь" used to be very popular in Soviet slogans, e.g. Даёшь пятилетку за три года! or in the ominous and in a way "prophetic" song from 1920: "Даёшь Варшаву, дай Берлин, уж врезались мы в Крым!"


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## Ben Jamin

marco_2 said:


> For me, both 'dawaj, dawaj!' and 'dajesz!' look like direct loanwords from Russian, but if 'dawaj, dawaj!' was already used in the 1940s (if not earlier), especially in central and eastern Poland, I have never heard the expression 'dajesz!' before 1990s, which is surprising due to almost non-existent impact of Russian language on Polish at that time. The Russian "даёшь" used to be very popular in Soviet slogans, e.g. Даёшь пятилетку за три года! or in the ominous and in a way "prophetic" song from 1920: "Даёшь Варшаву, дай Берлин, уж врезались мы в Крым!"


I have learned about dajesz only in 2022, but I don't live permanently in Poland, and I meet mostly the same people there under my visits. I don't think Polish "dawaj" or "dajesz" came from Russian. Languages can develop similar features idependently from each other.


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## marco_2

Ben Jamin said:


> I have learned about dajesz only in 2022, but I don't live permanently in Poland, and I meet mostly the same people there under my visits. I don't think Polish "dawaj" or "dajesz" came from Russian. Languages can develop similar features idependently from each other.


I sorted through the sources accessible on the net and saw that the authors still categorize  the expression _dawaj! _as russianism, especially because in this expression most Poles preserved a stress placed on the final syllable _(dawáj!). _'Dajesz', as a relatively new expression, hasn't been described yet. https//www.dagatlumaczy/rusycyzmy-w-jezyku-polskim/ Rusycyzm – Wikipedia, wolna encyklopedia


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## Ben Jamin

marco_2 said:


> I sorted through the sources accessible on the net and saw that the authors still categorize  the expression _dawaj! _as russianism, especially because in this expression most Poles preserved a stress placed on the final syllable _(dawáj!). _'Dajesz', as a relatively new expression, hasn't been described yet. https//www.dagatlumaczy/rusycyzmy-w-jezyku-polskim/ Rusycyzm – Wikipedia, wolna encyklopedia


I have never heard anybody using "dawaj" with stress on the last syllable in Poland, except in situations in which Poles were impersonating  or mocking Russians in jokes.


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## marco_2

Ben Jamin said:


> I have never heard anybody using "dawaj" with stress on the last syllable in Poland, except in situations in which Poles were impersonating  or mocking Russians in jokes.


Well, I have - it probably depends on the region of Poland and maybe generation gap (compare the dialogues in "Wilcze echa"). Still, our philologists consider them to be the loanwords from Russian, even if we adapted the stress to our accentual system.


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## kknd

I think that as a words of encouragement is connected to „dasz radę” (encouraging before the effort) and „dajesz radę” (encouraging during the effort). So my humble understanding is that after shortening „dajesz” evolved from happened-optics into will-happen one (i.e. cheering to continue further effort).


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