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  What it means

  Literally “if you want to lose a friend, lend him money,” this proverb-like saying captures the widely shared wisdom that mixing friendship with financial transactions is a recipe for conflict. Once money enters a friendship, expectations, resentments, and awkward power dynamics follow. Poles cite it as a warning before lending money, or wryly after a loan has damaged a relationship.

  Vocabulary

  • chcesz — you want (second person singular of chcieć)
  • stracić — to lose (perfective infinitive of stracić)
  • przyjaciela — a friend (genitive/accusative singular of przyjaciel)
  • pożycz — lend! (perfective imperative of pożyczyć)
  • pieniądze — money (accusative plural of pieniądz)

  Grammar note

  The sentence uses an implicit conditional: 'jeśli chcesz stracić przyjaciela, pożycz mu pieniądze.' 'Stracić' is perfective (complete loss of friend). 'Pożycz' is the perfective imperative of 'pożyczyć.' 'Przyjaciela' is accusative singular (direct object of stracić). 'Mu' is the dative of 'on' (to him).

  Cultural context

  This saying reflects a practical, unsentimental streak in Polish folk wisdom — money matters are treated seriously and personal relationships are seen as fragile when financial stakes enter. The same sentiment exists in many cultures; the closest English equivalent is 'if you want to lose a friend, lend him money' or the older 'neither a borrower nor a lender be' (Shakespeare). It is used in everyday conversation and social media.

  Intermediate

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