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  What it means

  Literally “the other side of the medal,” this idiom is the direct Polish equivalent of “the other side of the coin.” It signals that there is a flip side, a counterpoint, or an overlooked downside to something that seems positive — or vice versa. Example: “Praca zdalna ma swoje zalety, ale jest też druga strona medalu” — “Remote work has its advantages, but there is also the other side of the coin.”

  Vocabulary

  • druga — other, second (feminine, agreeing with strona)
  • strona — side, page
  • medal — medal (genitive: medalu)

  Grammar note

  The phrase uses genitive after strona to indicate possession: strona medalu — the side of the medal. Medalu is genitive singular of medal (a standard masculine inanimate noun). Druga is the feminine form of drugi, agreeing with strona (feminine noun). The phrase functions as a noun phrase and is typically preceded by jest (there is) or introduced with ale/jednak (but/however).

  Cultural context

  This is a direct calque of the French/Italian 'the other side of the coin/medal' and is neutral in register. It appears frequently in journalism, essays, and everyday argumentation. It is one of the easiest Polish idioms for English speakers to learn due to its structural and semantic identity with the English equivalent.

  Beginner

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