The Polish verb robić means “to do” or “to make” in English and is one of the most fundamental and versatile verbs in the Polish language. For autodidact students learning Polish, mastering robić is essential as it appears in countless everyday situations and idiomatic expressions. The verb is imperfective (describing ongoing or repeated actions) and pairs with its perfective counterpart zrobić (to complete an action).
This lesson is part of the comprehensive Latinum Institute Modern Language Course series. For the complete course index, visit: https://latinum.substack.com/p/index
FAQ: What does “robić” mean in Polish? Robić is the Polish verb meaning “to do” or “to make” in English. It’s an imperfective verb describing ongoing, habitual, or repeated actions. Examples: “Co robisz?” (What are you doing?), “Robię śniadanie” (I’m making breakfast), “Zawsze to robię” (I always do this). Its perfective partner zrobić indicates completed actions.
In the following 30 examples, you’ll encounter robić in various grammatical contexts - different tenses (present, past, future), aspects (imperfective/perfective), moods (indicative, imperative, conditional), and with various subjects and objects. Each example demonstrates natural Polish usage.
Key Takeaways: -
Robić (imperfective) = ongoing/habitual “do/make” -
Zrobić (perfective) = completed “do/make” -
Conjugates regularly for all persons -
Essential for questions: Co robisz? (What are you doing?) -
Used in many idiomatic expressions
This lesson material is designed for language learning and educational purposes, following the Latinum Institute’s proven methodology of interlinear glossing for rapid comprehension.
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Robić [ˈrɔ.bʲit͡ɕ] - “ROH-beech” (with soft final sound) Zrobić [ˈzrɔ.bʲit͡ɕ] - “ZROH-beech” (perfective form)
Key sounds: -
ć [t͡ɕ] - soft “ch” (like “ch” in “cheap” but softer) -
o [ɔ] - open “o” sound -
bi [bʲi] - “b” palatalized before “i”
Conjugation pronunciation: -
robię [ˈrɔ.bʲɛ] - I do -
robisz [ˈrɔ.bʲiʂ] - you do -
robi [ˈrɔ.bʲi] - he/she/it does -
robimy [rɔˈbʲi.mɨ] - we do -
robicie [rɔˈbʲi.t͡ɕɛ] - you (plural) do -
robią [ˈrɔ.bʲɔ̃] - they do
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15.1 Co what-ACC robisz you-do
15.2 Robię I-do śniadanie breakfast-ACC
15.3 Oni they-NOM robią they-do zakupy shopping-ACC
15.4 Muszę I-must coś something-ACC zrobić do-PERF-INF
15.5 Co what-ACC zrobiłeś you-did-PERF wczoraj yesterday
15.6 Zawsze always to this-ACC robię I-do tak so
15.7 Nie not rób do-IMP tego this-GEN
15.8 Zrobiłam I-did-PERF-FEM wszystko everything-ACC sama alone-FEM
15.9 Będę I-will-be robić do-INF to this-ACC jutro tomorrow
15.10 Oni they-NOM robili they-did to this-ACC przez during godzinę hour-ACC
15.11 Jak how to this-ACC zrobić do-PERF-INF
15.12 Robię I-do kolację dinner-ACC dla for rodziny family-GEN
15.13 Czy question możesz you-can to this-ACC zrobić do-PERF-INF za for mnie me-ACC
15.14 Zróbmy let’s-do-PERF to this-ACC razem together
15.15 Co what-ACC będziemy we-will-be robić do-INF w in weekend weekend-ACC
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15.1 Co robisz → “What are you doing?”
15.2 Robię śniadanie → “I’m making breakfast”
15.3 Oni robią zakupy → “They’re doing the shopping”
15.4 Muszę coś zrobić → “I must do something”
15.5 Co zrobiłeś wczoraj → “What did you do yesterday?”
15.6 Zawsze to robię tak → “I always do it this way”
15.7 Nie rób tego → “Don’t do that”
15.8 Zrobiłam wszystko sama → “I did everything myself (feminine)”
15.9 Będę robić to jutro → “I’ll be doing this tomorrow”
15.10 Oni robili to przez godzinę → “They were doing this for an hour”
15.11 Jak to zrobić → “How to do this?”
15.12 Robię kolację dla rodziny → “I’m making dinner for the family”
15.13 Czy możesz to zrobić za mnie → “Can you do this for me?”
15.14 Zróbmy to razem → “Let’s do this together”
15.15 Co będziemy robić w weekend → “What will we be doing on the weekend?”
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15.1 Co robisz
15.2 Robię śniadanie
15.3 Oni robią zakupy
15.4 Muszę coś zrobić
15.5 Co zrobiłeś wczoraj
15.6 Zawsze to robię tak
15.7 Nie rób tego
15.8 Zrobiłam wszystko sama
15.9 Będę robić to jutro
15.10 Oni robili to przez godzinę
15.11 Jak to zrobić
15.12 Robię kolację dla rodziny
15.13 Czy możesz to zrobić za mnie
15.14 Zróbmy to razem
15.15 Co będziemy robić w weekend
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Grammar Rules for “Robić” in This Passage:
1. Aspect: Imperfective vs. Perfective
Polish verbs come in aspectual pairs - this is the KEY concept for understanding Polish verbs:
ROBIĆ (Imperfective): -
Ongoing actions: Robię śniadanie (I’m making breakfast - in progress) -
Habitual actions: Zawsze to robię (I always do this - repeated) -
Duration focus: Robili to przez godzinę (They were doing it for an hour)
ZROBIĆ (Perfective): -
Completed actions: Zrobiłam wszystko (I did/completed everything) -
One-time future: Muszę coś zrobić (I must do something - once) -
Result focus: Co zrobiłeś? (What did you do? - completed action)
2. Present Tense Conjugation (Imperfective only)
Present tense exists ONLY for imperfective verbs: -
ja robię (I do/am doing) -
ty robisz (you do/are doing) -
on/ona/ono robi (he/she/it does/is doing) -
my robimy (we do/are doing) -
wy robicie (you-plural do/are doing) -
oni/one robią (they do/are doing)
3. Past Tense (Both aspects)
Past tense exists for both aspects and changes by gender:
Robić (imperfective past): -
ja robiłem (I was doing - masculine) -
ja robiłam (I was doing - feminine) -
ty robiłeś (you were doing - masculine) -
ty robiłaś (you were doing - feminine)
Zrobić (perfective past): -
ja zrobiłem (I did - masculine) -
ja zrobiłam (I did - feminine) as in example 15.8 -
ty zrobiłeś (you did - masculine) as in example 15.5
4. Future Tense
Imperfective future (będę + infinitive): -
Będę robić (I will be doing) example 15.9 -
Będziemy robić (we will be doing) example 15.15
Perfective future (conjugate like present): -
Zrobię (I will do/make - completed) -
Zrobimy (we will do/make)
5. Imperative (Commands)
Imperfective: -
(ty) rób! (keep doing! - ongoing) -
(ty) nie rób! (don’t do! - habitual) example 15.7 -
(wy) róbcie! (you-plural, keep doing!) -
(my) róbmy! (let’s keep doing!)
Perfective: -
(ty) zrób! (do it! - once, completely) -
(my) zróbmy! (let’s do it!) example 15.14
6. Infinitive Forms -
robić - to do/make (imperfective) -
zrobić - to do/make (perfective)
Used after modal verbs or as purpose: -
Muszę coś zrobić (I must do something - perfective infinitive) -
Jak to zrobić? (How to do this?)
7. Common Constructions
Co robisz? (What are you doing?) - THE most common Polish question Robię + accusative noun (I’m doing/making + object): -
robię śniadanie (making breakfast) -
robię zakupy (doing shopping) -
robię kolację (making dinner)
8. Reflexive Usage
Co się robi? (What does one do? / What’s being done?) - impersonal construction
9. Common Mistakes
❌ Wczoraj robię śniadanie (Yesterday I make breakfast - wrong tense/aspect) ✅ Wczoraj zrobiłem śniadanie (Yesterday I made breakfast)
❌ Będę zrobić (I will do - mixing tenses incorrectly) ✅ Będę robić (I will be doing - imperfective future) ✅ Zrobię (I will do - perfective future)
❌ Robię to już (I do this already - wrong aspect for completion) ✅ Zrobiłem to już (I already did this - perfective for completion)
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Historical and Cultural Significance
1. Work Ethic and “Robić”
The verb robić is deeply embedded in Polish work culture and social values: -
Robić karierę (to make a career) - important cultural goal -
Robić za kogoś (to do for someone) - helping others valued -
Robić swoje (to do one’s own thing) - independence
2. Common Idioms
Robić appears in numerous Polish idioms: -
Robić z igły widły (to make a mountain out of a molehill - literally “to make a pitchfork from a needle”) -
Robić dobrą minę do złej gry (to put a brave face on something bad - literally “to make a good face for a bad game”) -
Nie róbcie mi (literally “don’t do me” - meaning “don’t give me that”) -
Co ty robisz?! (What are you doing?! - expression of surprise/disapproval) -
Nic nie robić (to do nothing - idleness, sometimes negative connotation)
3. Register Variations
Formal contexts: -
Wykonywać pracę (to perform work) - more formal than robić pracę -
Przeprowadzać badania (to conduct research) - formal -
Sporządzać raport (to prepare a report) - official
Informal/Colloquial: -
Robota (work/job) - colloquial noun from robić -
Zrobić can mean “to fix” or even “to trick someone” in slang -
Co robisz? - universal greeting among friends
4. Historical Context
During communist times, robić took on special meanings: -
Robić na czarno (to work illegally/under the table) -
Kombinować (to scheme/figure things out) - survival skill -
These expressions remain in modern Polish
5. Gender and Social Roles
Traditional expressions (changing in modern Poland): -
Robić obiad (make dinner) - historically associated with women -
Robić zakupy (do shopping) - traditionally women’s domain -
Modern usage: gender-neutral, both partners robią zakupy
6. Regional Variations
Standard Polish robić is used throughout Poland, but regional dialects have variations: -
Silesian: robic with different pronunciation -
Kashubian: distinct cognates -
But standard robić understood everywhere
7. Modern Usage Trends
Contemporary Polish sees robić in new contexts: -
Robić zdjęcia (take photos) - modern technology -
Robić selfie (take a selfie) - borrowed English term -
Robić karierę w IT (make a career in IT) - modern professions -
Robić zakupy online (shop online) - internet age
8. False Friends
Be careful with similar-sounding verbs: -
Rabować (to rob/plunder) - different verb, different meaning! -
Robotnik (worker) - noun derived from robota (work) -
Russian работать [rabotat’] - means “to work” (more specific than Polish robić)
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Part F-A: Interleaved Text
From Henryk Sienkiewicz’s “Quo Vadis” (Chapter 1) - showing robić in 19th-century literary Polish:
F-A.1 Co what-ACC teraz now robić do-INF będziesz you-will-be
F-A.2 Nie not wiem I-know sam myself-NOM co what-ACC robić do-INF
F-A.3 Może maybe pojadę I-will-go-PERF do to Beneventu Beneventum-GEN
F-A.4 I and co what-ACC tam there będziesz you-will-be robił did-MASC
Part F-B: The Text from F-A with Translation -
Co teraz robić będziesz? -
Nie wiem sam, co robić. Może pojadę do Beneventu. -
I co tam będziesz robił?
→ “What will you be doing now?” “I don’t know myself what to do. Maybe I’ll go to Beneventum.” “And what will you be doing there?”
Part F-C: Original Target Language Text -
Co teraz robić będziesz? -
Nie wiem sam, co robić. Może pojadę do Beneventu. -
I co tam będziesz robił?
Part F-D: Grammar Commentary
This dialogue from Sienkiewicz shows older Polish word order: -
robić będziesz (old) vs. modern będziesz robić (you will be doing) -
The infinitive robić before the auxiliary was common in 19th-century literary Polish -
Nie wiem sam, co robić - existential questioning, very Polish theme -
będziesz robił - future with masculine past participle, showing aspectual complexity
Part F-E: Literary and Cultural Commentary
Henryk Sienkiewicz (1846-1916) won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1905. “Quo Vadis” (1896) depicts early Christians in Rome during Nero’s reign. The novel was written dla (for) strengthening Polish spirits during partition - showing Poles’ identification with persecuted Christians.
The repeated use of co robić (what to do) reflects a common Polish existential question - faced by Poles throughout history asking themselves what to do about partition, occupation, and loss of independence. The phrase co robić? carries weight beyond its literal meaning.
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Part A: Interlinear Construed Text
15.16 Hej hey co what-ACC robisz you-do dziś today wieczorem evening-INSTR
15.17 Nic nothing-GEN specjalnego special-GEN może maybe coś something-ACC razem together zrobimy we-will-do-PERF
15.18 Super great idziemy we-go na to film film-ACC czy or coś something-ACC innego else-GEN
15.19 Może maybe zróbmy let’s-do-PERF coś something-ACC aktywnego active-GEN nudzę I-bore się REFL
15.20 Dobry good-NOM pomysł idea-NOM możemy we-can zrobić do-PERF-INF wycieczkę trip-ACC rowerową bicycle-ACC
15.21 Albo or moglibyśmy we-could zrobić do-PERF-INF grilla grill-ACC u at mnie me-GEN
15.22 O oh tak yes nie not robiłem I-did grilla grill-GEN od since miesiąca month-GEN
15.23 Zróbmy let’s-do-PERF listę list-ACC kto who-NOM co what-ACC przynosi brings
15.24 Ja I-NOM zrobię I-will-do-PERF sałatki salads-ACC i and przygotuję I-will-prepare-PERF mięso meat-ACC
15.25 Świetnie great a and ja I-NOM zrobię I-will-do-PERF zakupy shopping-ACC na for napoje drinks-ACC
15.26 Zapraszamy we-invite też also Anię Anna-ACC i and Marka Marek-ACC
15.27 Dobra good ja I-NOM im them-DAT napiszę I-will-write-PERF co what-ACC robią they-do
15.28 Oni they-NOM chyba probably też also nic nothing-GEN nie not robią they-do
15.29 To so o at której which-LOC godzinie hour-LOC to this-ACC robimy we-do
15.30 O at piątej fifth-LOC pasuje suits wszyscy everyone-NOM będą will-be mogli could-PL przyjść come-PERF-INF
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Part B: Natural Sentences
15.16 Hej, co robisz dziś wieczorem → “Hey, what are you doing this evening?”
15.17 Nic specjalnego, może coś razem zrobimy → “Nothing special, maybe we’ll do something together”
15.18 Super! Idziemy na film czy coś innego → “Great! Are we going to a movie or something else?”
15.19 Może zróbmy coś aktywnego, nudzę się → “Maybe let’s do something active, I’m bored”
15.20 Dobry pomysł, możemy zrobić wycieczkę rowerową → “Good idea, we can do a bike trip”
15.21 Albo moglibyśmy zrobić grilla u mnie → “Or we could do a barbecue at my place”
15.22 O tak! Nie robiłem grilla od miesiąca → “Oh yes! I haven’t done a barbecue in a month”
15.23 Zróbmy listę, kto co przynosi → “Let’s make a list of who brings what”
15.24 Ja zrobię sałatki i przygotuję mięso → “I’ll make salads and prepare the meat”
15.25 Świetnie, a ja zrobię zakupy na napoje → “Great, and I’ll do the shopping for drinks”
15.26 Zapraszamy też Anię i Marka → “Let’s invite Ania and Marek too”
15.27 Dobra, ja im napiszę co robią → “Okay, I’ll write them what they’re doing”
15.28 Oni chyba też nic nie robią → “They probably aren’t doing anything either”
15.29 To o której godzinie to robimy → “So what time are we doing this?”
15.30 O piątej pasuje, wszyscy będą mogli przyjść → “Five o’clock works, everyone will be able to come”
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Part C: Target Language Only
15.16 Hej, co robisz dziś wieczorem
15.17 Nic specjalnego, może coś razem zrobimy
15.18 Super! Idziemy na film czy coś innego
15.19 Może zróbmy coś aktywnego, nudzę się
15.20 Dobry pomysł, możemy zrobić wycieczkę rowerową
15.21 Albo moglibyśmy zrobić grilla u mnie
15.22 O tak! Nie robiłem grilla od miesiąca
15.23 Zróbmy listę, kto co przynosi
15.24 Ja zrobię sałatki i przygotuję mięso
15.25 Świetnie, a ja zrobię zakupy na napoje
15.26 Zapraszamy też Anię i Marka
15.27 Dobra, ja im napiszę co robią
15.28 Oni chyba też nic nie robią
15.29 To o której godzinie to robimy
15.30 O piątej pasuje, wszyscy będą mogli przyjść
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Part D: Grammar Notes for Text Message Conversation
Colloquial Features: -
Aspect choice in casual speech: -
zrobimy (we’ll do - perfective) - suggests definite plan -
robisz (you’re doing - imperfective) - asking about current/general state -
zróbmy (let’s do - perfective imperative) - proposing specific action -
Ellipsis common in texting: -
Full: Co dziś wieczorem robisz? -
Text: Co robisz dziś wieczorem (more casual word order) -
Generic activities with robić: -
robić grilla (do a barbecue) - accusative -
robić zakupy (do shopping) - accusative -
robić wycieczkę (do a trip) - accusative -
robić listę (make a list) - accusative -
Negation patterns: -
nic nie robią (they’re doing nothing) - double negation is standard -
nie robiłem (I haven’t done) - negation with past tense -
Modal constructions: -
możemy zrobić (we can do) - modal + perfective infinitive -
moglibyśmy zrobić (we could do) - conditional + perfective infinitive -
będą mogli przyjść (will be able to come) - compound future -
Question word + robić: -
co robisz (what are you doing) - most common greeting -
co robią (what are they doing) - asking about others -
o której to robimy (what time are we doing this) - planning -
Temporal expressions with robić: -
dziś wieczorem (this evening) - instrumental case for time -
od miesiąca (for a month) - genitive with “od” -
o piątej (at five) - locative case for clock time
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Key Pronunciation Patterns: -
Robić conjugations: -
robię [ˈrɔ.bʲɛ] - soft “b” before “i” -
robisz [ˈrɔ.bʲiʂ] - note the “sz” ending [ʂ] -
robi [ˈrɔ.bʲi] - shorter form -
robią [ˈrɔ.bʲɔ̃] - nasal “ą” at end -
Perfective zrobić: -
zrobię [ˈzrɔ.bʲɛ] - consonant cluster “zr” at start -
zrobimy [zrɔˈbʲi.mɨ] - stress on second syllable -
zróbmy [ˈzrub.mɨ] - imperative form, note “ó” [u] -
Past tense gender distinctions: -
robiłem [rɔˈbʲi.wɛm] - masculine “ł” = [w] -
robiłam [rɔˈbʲi.wam] - feminine, same “ł” = [w] -
zrobiłeś [zrɔˈbʲi.wɛɕ] - masculine informal “eś” -
Common fast speech reductions: -
co robisz → [tsɔ ˈrɔ.bʲiʂ] - flows together -
zróbmy to → [ˈzrub.mɨ tɔ] - rapid connection -
nie robiłem → [ɲɛ rɔˈbʲi.wɛm] - “nie” → [ɲɛ] -
Stress patterns: -
Almost always penultimate (second-to-last syllable) -
ro-BIŁ-em (I was doing - masculine) -
zro-BIŁ-aś (you did - feminine) -
ro-BI-my (we do) -
Vowel quality: -
o in robić = [ɔ] (open “o”) -
ó in zróbmy = [u] (like “oo” in “boot”) -
i after consonants softens them: bi [bʲi]
Spelling conventions: -
ć always at word end: robić -
ci before vowels: robicie (you plural do) -
ą nasal vowel: robią (they do) -
ł historical “l”, now [w]: robiłem
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The Latinum Institute has been creating innovative online language learning materials since 2006, developing proven methodologies for autodidact learners worldwide. Our courses draw on traditional philological methods adapted for modern language acquisition.
The Construed Reading Method:
This lesson uses interlinear glossing - a technique historically employed for teaching Classical languages like Latin and Greek. By showing the grammatical function of each word directly, learners develop an intuitive understanding of Polish aspectual system without extensive memorization drills.
Aspectual Mastery:
Understanding robić/zrobić and the imperfective/perfective distinction is crucial for Polish fluency. This lesson provides 30 examples showing both aspects in natural contexts, allowing learners to internalize the patterns through exposure rather than rules alone.
CSV-Based Progression:
This course follows a carefully curated vocabulary list of 1000 high-frequency words. Lesson 15’s focus on robić (to do) reflects its position as the 15th most common word in Polish - essential for everyday communication.
Reviews and Methodology:
Visit https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/latinum.org.uk to see reviews from learners who have successfully used Latinum Institute materials.
Next Steps:
After completing this lesson, you should be comfortable: -
Distinguishing between robić (imperfective) and zrobić (perfective) -
Conjugating robić in present, past, and future tenses -
Using robić in common expressions and questions -
Understanding aspectual choice in different contexts
Practical Application:
The single most useful phrase from this lesson: Co robisz? (What are you doing?) - you’ll use this countless times in Polish conversation. Master its response patterns and you’ll have successful exchanges immediately.
Continue to Lesson 16 to build on this foundation, or review Lessons 1-14 to reinforce your understanding of Polish grammar basics.
Additional Resources:
For more on Polish verbs and aspect, consult: -
Latinum Institute course index: https://latinum.substack.com/p/index -
Interactive exercises (available to enrolled students) -
Audio recordings of native speakers (available separately)
Remember: consistent practice with authentic materials is key to Polish fluency. The aspectual system becomes intuitive with exposure and use.
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