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  What it means

  Literally “to put one’s pride in one’s pocket,” this idiom means to swallow one’s pride — to set aside ego, stubbornness, or self-importance in order to do something necessary or pragmatic. The image is of literally pocketing pride, hiding it away where it can’t get in the way. Poles use it to describe situations where someone must do something humbling, apologise, or ask for help despite their pride resisting.

  Vocabulary

  • chować — to hide, to put away (imperfective infinitive)
  • dumę — pride (accusative of duma)
  • duma — pride
  • do — into (preposition taking genitive)
  • kieszeni — pocket (genitive of kieszeń)

  Grammar note

  'Chować' is imperfective, emphasizing the ongoing or repeated act of suppressing pride. 'Dumę' is accusative (direct object). 'Do kieszeni' uses 'do' + genitive: 'do' requires genitive, so 'kieszeń' (feminine) becomes 'kieszeni.' The phrase is typically used with a reflexive dative pronoun: 'chować sobie dumę do kieszeni' (to pocket one's own pride).

  Cultural context

  This is a common, easily understood expression used across all age groups in both spoken and written Polish. It is neutral in register and widely recognized. The English equivalent 'to swallow one's pride' or 'to pocket one's pride' maps almost exactly. Poles use it when describing reconciliations, difficult apologies, or pragmatic compromises that require setting ego aside.

  Beginner

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