Say the perfective out loud, then check.
Most courses introduce the perfective as "the imperfective with a prefix", and for about half of these verbs that is true. For the rest it is not, and knowing which group a verb belongs to is worth more than any rule.
The pattern every course teaches first, and the one that works about half the time. The perfective is the same verb wearing a prefix — but which prefix is a fact about the individual verb, not a rule you can apply.
| Imperfective | Perfective | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| pić | wypić | to drink |
| jeść | zjeść | to eat |
| czytać | przeczytać | to read |
| pisać | napisać | to write |
| robić | zrobić | to do, to make |
| uczyć się | nauczyć się | to learn, to study |
| rozumieć | zrozumieć | to understand |
| sprzątać | posprzątać | to tidy up |
| gotować | ugotować | to cook |
| rozmawiać | porozmawiać | to talk, to converse |
| dzwonić | zadzwonić | to phone |
| płacić | zapłacić | to pay |
| dziękować | podziękować | to thank |
| prosić | poprosić | to ask for |
| pytać | zapytać | to ask a question |
| słuchać | posłuchać | to listen |
| czekać | poczekać | to wait |
| tańczyć | zatańczyć | to dance |
| śpiewać | zaśpiewać | to sing |
| budować | zbudować | to build |
| kończyć | skończyć | to finish |
| bawić się | pobawić się | to play |
| jechać | pojechać | to go (by vehicle) |
| iść | pójść | to go (on foot) |
Here the prefix rule quietly stops working. The verb changes inside, usually shortening, and there is nothing on the front to tip you off. These have to be met as pairs.
| Imperfective | Perfective | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| zaczynać | zacząć | to begin |
| spotykać się | spotkać się | to meet |
| wyrzucać | wyrzucić | to throw out |
| układać | ułożyć | to arrange, to put in order |
| kupować | kupić | to buy |
| wstawać | wstać | to get up |
| wracać | wrócić | to come back |
| otwierać | otworzyć | to open |
| zamykać | zamknąć | to close |
| dawać | dać | to give |
| dostawać | dostać | to receive |
| pokazywać | pokazać | to show |
| odpowiadać | odpowiedzieć | to answer |
| pomagać | pomóc | to help |
| wybierać | wybrać | to choose |
| sprzedawać | sprzedać | to sell |
| zamawiać | zamówić | to order |
| zapominać | zapomnieć | to forget |
And sometimes the two aspects are simply different verbs. No amount of staring at mówić will produce powiedzieć.
| Imperfective | Perfective | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| mówić | powiedzieć | to speak, to say |
| oglądać | obejrzeć | to watch |
| brać | wziąć | to take |
| widzieć | zobaczyć | to see |
Watch Your Language is an iPhone and Apple Watch app for vocabulary. Aspect pairs are exactly the kind of thing it is built for: two entries that have to be met together, often enough, which it does by putting them in a widget on your Lock Screen and watch face:
Watch Your LanguageVocabulary widgets for iPhone & Apple Watch
