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  What it means

  Literally “to go from door to door,” this expression means to canvass, peddle, or solicit by visiting each home or office in turn. It describes the action of systematically knocking on every door along a street — whether selling goods, collecting donations, campaigning, or asking for help. Example: “Wolontariusze chodzili od drzwi do drzwi, zbierając podpisy” (Volunteers went door to door collecting signatures).

  Vocabulary

  • chodzić — to walk, go (habitually) (imperfective verb)
  • od — from (preposition + genitive)
  • drzwi — door (neuter plurale tantum — exists only in the plural)
  • do — to, until (preposition + genitive)

  Grammar note

  The structure "od ... do ..." with a repeated noun means "from X to X," conveying traversal or systematic progression. "Drzwi" is a plurale tantum — a noun that exists only in the plural form (like English 'scissors'). Both "od drzwi" and "do drzwi" use the genitive plural, which happens to be identical in form to the nominative plural for this noun. The imperfective verb "chodzić" indicates repeated or ongoing action.

  Cultural context

  This is a neutral, everyday expression used across commercial, political, charity, and social contexts. In post-communist Poland, door-to-door selling was common during the economic transition of the 1990s, giving the phrase a slightly weary connotation in some contexts. Today it is used matter-of-factly for canvassing, fundraising, or service delivery. English equivalent: "to go door to door" or "to canvass."

  Beginner

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