Kto żyw
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What it means
Literally “whoever is alive.” Means everyone, all and sundry — used to describe a situation where absolutely everyone is involved or rushing somewhere.
Vocabulary
- kto — who / whoever
- żyw — alive (archaic short form of 'żywy')
Grammar note
'Żyw' is an archaic short-form adjective surviving only in fixed phrases. The full modern form would be 'żywy'.
Cultural context
Often used in the phrase 'rzucił się kto żyw' (everyone who was alive rushed) — capturing a scene of general commotion.
Intermediate
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