"Bring the menu, please."

Is "принесіть" a plural/polite imperative form?

mizail

"Принесіть, будь ласка, води" is a plural polite form.

"Принеси, будь ласка, води" is a singular polite form.

"Принесіть води" is a plural imperative form.

"Принеси води" is a singular imperative form.

By "plural/polite" I meant "plural or singular used to address older person, boss or an unfamiliar adult person". But anyway, you have answered my question, thank you!

mizail

A plural polite form use to conversation with older person, boss and an unfamiliar adult person or even younger person, if you want to be very polite with whom or kidding :)

A singular polite form use in all other situation when you want to be polite (with your wife, children, staff etc).

A plural/singular imperative form use when you don't have time or when not necessary to be polite.

Let's finally sync our terminology. By "imperative" I mean imperative verb form (наказовий спосіб), so even with "будь ласка" it is still imperative for me.

Also, I understand usage of singular and plural imperative very well since my native language is Russian.

BTW, it looks strange fro me that "будь ласка" does not have plural form (since "будь" here looks like the imperative form of verb "бути")

Vinnfred

This modern form is shortened from some older ones. I guess it was something along the lines of "якщо (коли) буде ваша ласка" (it's similar in meaning to would you be so kind)

mizail

There is an playful Ukrainian folk song "Да й куди їдеш, Явтуше?" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8olJ1cGmH18

A girl asks different questions to a boy and the boy always answers "Не скажу" - "I will not say", but then, when she says "Та коли ж твоя добра ласка, то й скажеш" - "If you will be very kind to me then you will say", the boy answer to her question. "Будь ласка" have a similar meaning and action :)

P. S. There is even cartoon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQYmyMCw2iY and many other https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%D0%94%D0%B0+%D0%B9+%D0%BA%D1%83%D0%B4%D0%B8+%D1%97%D0%B4%D0%B5%D1%88%2C+%D0%AF%D0%B2%D1%82%D1%83%D1%88%D0%B5

Am I right that imperative subject in "будь ласка" is "ласка", not the subject of the original sentence?

Vinnfred

Kind of