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  What it means

  Literally “to twist one’s nose,” this idiom means to turn one’s nose up at something — to show reluctance, fussiness, or disdain. It describes the physical gesture of wrinkling the nose in displeasure, applied metaphorically to any pickiness or hesitation. “Nie kręć nosem, jedz co dają” — Stop being fussy, eat what you’re given. It can apply to food, a job offer, a price, or any proposal that someone finds slightly unsatisfactory.

  Vocabulary

  • kręcić — to twist, to turn, to spin (imperfective)
  • nosem — nose (instrumental singular of nos)
  • nos — nose

  Grammar note

  'Nosem' is in the instrumental case, which here expresses the body part used in the action — a common construction with verbs of gesturing (e.g., 'machać ręką' — to wave one's hand, 'wzruszyć ramionami' — to shrug one's shoulders). 'Kręcić' is imperfective, emphasizing the ongoing or habitual nature of the fussiness.

  Cultural context

  A very common, versatile expression used across all ages and registers — from scolding a child at the dinner table to describing a colleague's reluctance about a project. The English equivalent is 'to turn one's nose up at.' It carries mild disapproval of the person being fussy rather than of what they reject.

  Beginner

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