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  What it means

  Literally “with full speed” or “with the whole rush.” This adverbial phrase means to go or do something as fast as physically possible — flat out, at full tilt, without holding anything back. It is used both literally (running at top speed) and figuratively (doing something with maximum effort or urgency). You might hear it said of a person rushing somewhere: “Pobiegł całym pędem do szkoły” (He ran to school at full speed). It conveys not just speed but a sense of all-out commitment to getting somewhere fast.

  Vocabulary

  • cały — whole, entire, full (here: full force)
  • pęd — speed, momentum, rush, drive
  • całym — instrumental singular of cały (masculine)
  • pobiec — to run off (perfective)

  Grammar note

  The phrase uses the instrumental case: "całym pędem" — "with full speed." In Polish, the instrumental is used adverbially to describe manner or means. "Całym" is the instrumental singular masculine form of "cały," and "pędem" is the instrumental singular of "pęd." The phrase functions as an adverbial of manner and does not decline further — it is used in this fixed instrumental form regardless of sentence structure.

  Cultural context

  This is a neutral, everyday expression used across all age groups and registers. It is equivalent to English phrases like "at full speed," "flat out," or "in a mad dash." It often appears in lively, informal narratives — storytelling among friends, sports commentary, or children's books — anywhere urgency and energy need to be conveyed vividly.

  Beginner

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