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  What it means

  Literally “to beat/strike the alarm” — this phrase means to sound the alarm, raise a warning, or urgently draw attention to a danger or problem. Historically it referred to the ringing of bells to alert a community to fire, invasion, or disaster. Today it is used figuratively: scientists, activists, journalists, and doctors all “bić na alarm” when they warn the public about a serious threat. It implies urgency and is rarely used for trivial matters.

  Vocabulary

  • bić — to beat / to strike — here used in the sense of striking a bell or drum
  • alarm — alarm — borrowed from French/Italian; refers to a signal of danger
  • na — preposition meaning 'for' or 'to' — here indicating purpose

  Grammar note

  The verb bić takes the accusative for direct objects, but here na alarm is a prepositional phrase (na + accusative) indicating purpose or result, a common construction in Polish for set expressions. The imperfective aspect of bić is used because the action of raising an alarm is ongoing or habitual, not a one-time completed event.

  Cultural context

  This phrase appears constantly in Polish media and public discourse. Environmental groups bić na alarm about climate change; doctors bić na alarm about public health crises. The imagery of physically striking a bell gives the phrase its urgency. It is fully neutral in register and appropriate in journalism, politics, and everyday speech.

  Beginner

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