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  What it means

  Literally “like dogs” (genitive plural), this phrase conveys that something exists in very large, almost excessive quantities — so many that they are as common as stray dogs on the street. It is used to emphasize abundance, usually with a slightly negative or ironic undertone. Poles might say ‘problemów jak psów’ (problems galore) or ‘chętnych jak psów’ (no shortage of volunteers).

  Vocabulary

  • jak — like / as
  • psów — of dogs (genitive plural of pies)
  • pies — dog

  Grammar note

  After 'jak' in this idiomatic pattern, the noun takes the genitive case plural. 'Psów' is the regular genitive plural of 'pies.' This construction functions like a predicate: the noun being described appears before 'jak psów' (e.g., 'ludzi jak psów' — people aplenty), and the whole phrase modifies quantity.

  Cultural context

  The expression is informal and slightly sardonic, evoking the image of stray or ownerless dogs — once a common sight in Polish towns. It is used in everyday speech across Poland and is roughly equivalent to English 'a dime a dozen' or 'no shortage of.' It can describe anything abundant: people, problems, offers, or opinions.

  Intermediate

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