polski.directory

[ Learn Polish. All resources, one place. ]
  • Listen

    What it means

    Literally “Did an elephant step on your ear?” A humorous way of asking whether someone is tone-deaf — either musically or in the sense of not picking up on something obvious.

    Vocabulary

    • słoń — elephant
    • nadepnąć — to step on (perfective)
    • ucho — ear

    Grammar note

    'Ci' is the short dative form of 'ty' (you). 'Na ucho' uses the accusative after 'na' — indicating the target of the stepping action.

    Cultural context

    A vivid, affectionate way to tease someone for singing out of tune or missing a social cue — the elephant's size makes the insult both funny and memorable.

    Beginner

Noticed a typo, a wrong translation, or anything that doesn't look right? We'd love to fix it — just let us know via the contact page. Thank you!

More Polish idioms

  • Literally "one's whole life flew past before the eyes," this phrase describes the vivid, involuntary …
    Intermediate
  • Literally "for an example," na przykład is the standard Polish phrase for "for example" or "for …
    Beginner
  • Literally "in the last/recent times," ostatnimi czasy is a common temporal phrase meaning "lately," …
    Beginner
  • Literally "in the manner of Judas," this adverb describes acting in a treacherous, backstabbing way …
    Intermediate