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  What it means

  Literally “by days and by nights.” This phrase means working or doing something continuously, around the clock, without stopping. It emphasizes relentless dedication or effort over an extended period of time. Poles use it to describe intense periods of study, work, or creative effort — often with a tone of admiration or exhaustion.

  Vocabulary

  • dniami — by days (instrumental plural of 'dzień')
  • nocami — by nights (instrumental plural of 'noc')
  • dzień — day
  • noc — night

  Grammar note

  Both 'dniami' and 'nocami' are in the instrumental plural case. In Polish, the instrumental case is used to express manner, means, or duration — here it conveys the sense of 'throughout days and nights.' This is a fixed adverbial phrase with no verb, used as an intensifying modifier.

  Cultural context

  This expression has a slightly elevated or literary feel but is also used in everyday speech. It often appears in contexts of admiration for hard work — 'Pracował dniami i nocami' (He worked day and night). The phrase is standard Polish, not regional, and is equivalent to the English 'day and night' or 'around the clock.'

  Beginner

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