• Listen

  What it means

  Literally “to put into ears,” this phrase means to repeatedly tell someone something — often with a sense of insistent persuasion or nagging — in order to get an idea lodged in their mind. It describes the act of whispering, suggesting, or hammering a message into someone until they absorb or accept it. For example: “Matka od lat kładła jej w uszy, że musi oszczędzać” — “Her mother had been drumming into her ears for years that she must save money.” The image is of filling someone’s ears with a message.

  Vocabulary

  • kłaść — to lay, to put (imperfective)
  • w — into (preposition + accusative)
  • uszy — ears (accusative/nominative plural of ucho)
  • ucho — ear

  Grammar note

  The preposition 'w' here governs the accusative plural 'uszy.' Note that 'ucho' (ear) has an irregular plural: 'uszy' rather than the expected 'ucha.' The verb 'kłaść' is imperfective; its perfective counterpart 'położyć' would emphasize a single completed act of instilling an idea.

  Cultural context

  The phrase has a mildly negative connotation, suggesting persistent influence — sometimes manipulative, sometimes merely nagging. It is neutral to informal in register and appears in personal narratives and literary prose. A rough English equivalent is 'to drum something into someone's ears' or 'to keep telling someone something.'

  Intermediate

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