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  What it means

  Literally “dear to the heart,” this phrase describes something or someone that is deeply cherished, precious, or emotionally significant. It conveys heartfelt affection or attachment that goes beyond mere liking. Poles use it to speak about places, people, memories, or traditions that hold a special, irreplaceable place in their feelings. It is warm and slightly elevated in tone.

  Vocabulary

  • drogi — dear, precious (masculine/neuter dative or nominative plural)
  • sercu — to the heart (dative of serce)
  • serce — heart

  Grammar note

  'Sercu' is the dative singular of 'serce' (neuter noun). The dative case here expresses the recipient of the feeling — the heart is the entity to which something is dear. 'Drogi' agrees with the subject being described (e.g., 'drogi sercu kraj' — a country dear to the heart), changing its ending according to gender and case.

  Cultural context

  This phrase has a literary, slightly old-fashioned quality and is common in poetry, memoirs, and patriotic contexts. It often appears in discussions of homeland, family, or childhood memories. In everyday speech it is used sincerely to express deep affection without irony.

  Intermediate

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