Recently Added Idioms

• Całe życie przeleciało przed oczami
  Literally "one's whole life flew past before the eyes," this phrase describes the vivid, involuntary rush of memories people report experiencing during a sudden …
  Intermediate
• Na przykład
  Literally "for an example," na przykład is the standard Polish phrase for "for example" or "for instance." It is used to introduce a concrete illustration of a …
  Beginner
• Ostatnimi czasy
  Literally "in the last/recent times," ostatnimi czasy is a common temporal phrase meaning "lately," "recently," or "these days." It refers to an unspecified but …
  Beginner
• Po judaszowsku
  Literally "in the manner of Judas," this adverb describes acting in a treacherous, backstabbing way — just as Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of …
  Intermediate
• Pod ścianą
  Literally "against the wall" or "under the wall," this phrase describes being in a cornered, desperate situation with no way out. Just as a person physically …
  Beginner
• Puścić kaczkę
  Literally "to release a duck" or "to let a duck go," puścić kaczkę means to spread a false rumor, plant a hoax, or float a piece of disinformation. The image is …
  Intermediate
• Robić się na bóstwo
  Literally "to make oneself up as a deity," robić się na bóstwo means to get stunningly dressed up — to look absolutely divine or drop-dead gorgeous. The phrase …
  Intermediate
• Tu się zgina dziób pingwina
  Literally "here the penguin's beak bends," this is a famous Polish mnemonic used to remember the letter Ź (z with an acute accent). The image of a penguin's …
  Beginner
• W przeciwieństwie do
  Literally "in the opposition/contrast to," w przeciwieństwie do is the standard Polish phrase for "in contrast to," "unlike," or "as opposed to." It introduces …
  Intermediate
• Złej baletnicy przeszkadza nawet rąbek u spódnicy
  Literally "Even the hem of the skirt bothers a bad ballerina," this proverb-like idiom means that a person who lacks skill will always find something external …
  Advanced
• Ach i och
  Literally: "ach" and "och" are both Polish interjections expressing surprise, admiration, or dismay. As an idiom, "ach i och" describes excessive fussing, …
  Beginner
• Chapać dzidę
  Literally "to catch a spear" — with "chapać" being a colloquial verb for grabbing or catching and "dzida" an archaic word for a spear or lance. The idiom …
  Advanced
• Dom rozpusty
  Literally "house of debauchery" — a euphemistic and somewhat archaic term for a brothel. "Rozpusta" refers to moral dissolution, licentiousness, or debauchery, …
  Advanced
• Na jeża
  Literally "like a hedgehog" or "in the style of a hedgehog" — referring to the animal's characteristic coat of sharp, upright spines. In everyday Polish, "na …
  Beginner
• Nie że
  "Nie że" (or its fuller form "nie żeby") is a discourse phrase meaning "not that" or "it's not like." It is used at the start of a clause to deny or qualify an …
  Intermediate
• Obniżać poprzeczkę
  Literally: "to lower the crossbar" — a reference to the bar used in high jump athletics, which can be raised or lowered to change the difficulty of the jump. …
  Intermediate
• Pędzić żywot
  Literally: "to race through a life" — 'pędzić' means to rush or race, and 'żywot' is an archaic or literary word for a life or existence. Together the phrase …
  Advanced
• Poczuć się jak u siebie w domu
  Literally: "to feel like at one's own home." This idiom describes the sensation of being completely relaxed, comfortable, and at ease in a place that is not …
  Beginner
• Porządek dzienny
  Literally "daily order" — the standard Polish term for a meeting agenda or the order of business. Its most important idiomatic use is in the phrase "przejść do …
  Intermediate
• Przejść ludzkie pojęcie
  Literally "to go beyond human comprehension" — combining "przejść" (to go past, to surpass) with "ludzkie pojęcie" (human understanding or conception). The …
  Advanced