Bez pracy nie ma kołaczy
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What it means
Literally “without work, there are no cakes.” The Polish equivalent of “no pain, no gain” or “there’s no such thing as a free lunch.”
Vocabulary
- praca — work
- kołacz — traditional Polish sweet bread / festive cake
Grammar note
'Bez pracy' uses the genitive after 'bez' (without). 'Kołaczy' is the genitive plural of 'kołacz', required after 'nie ma'.
Cultural context
'Kołacz' is a traditional Polish festive bread, historically a symbol of celebration and reward — making it the perfect thing to work for.
Beginner
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