Cholera wie
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What it means
Literally “cholera knows.” Means “who knows” or “the devil knows” — used to express complete ignorance or uncertainty about something. A mild expletive used very casually.
Vocabulary
- cholera — cholera (used as a mild expletive)
- wie — knows (3rd person singular of 'wiedzieć')
Grammar note
Simple present tense. 'Cholera' functions as a personified subject — like saying 'the devil knows'.
Cultural context
Disease names were historically used as curses in Polish. 'Cholera' is one of the mildest — perfectly acceptable in everyday conversation.
Beginner
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