Alfa i omega
Listen
What it means
Literally “alpha and omega,” the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. It means the beginning and the end, or someone who knows everything about a subject, the final authority.
Vocabulary
- alfa — alpha (first letter of the Greek alphabet)
- omega — omega (last letter of the Greek alphabet)
Grammar note
A fixed nominal phrase with no verb. Used as a predicate: 'On jest alfą i omegą w tej dziedzinie' (He is the alpha and omega in this field). 'Alfą i omegą' would take the instrumental after 'jest.'
Cultural context
The phrase has biblical origins (Revelation 1:8, 'I am the Alpha and the Omega'). It is used in most European languages and is fully natural in Polish.
Beginner
Noticed a typo, a wrong translation, or anything that doesn't look right? We'd love to fix it — just let us know via the contact page. Thank you!
More Polish idioms
- Literally "one's whole life flew past before the eyes," this phrase describes the vivid, involuntary …
- Literally "for an example," na przykład is the standard Polish phrase for "for example" or "for …
- Literally "in the last/recent times," ostatnimi czasy is a common temporal phrase meaning "lately," …
- Literally "in the manner of Judas," this adverb describes acting in a treacherous, backstabbing way …