Kusić los
Listen
What it means
Literally “to tempt fate.” This idiom is used when someone takes unnecessary risks or pushes their luck in a way that might lead to disaster. It suggests that by being reckless, you are inviting bad luck or divine punishment. It is a warning to stay humble and cautious.
Vocabulary
- kusić — to tempt / lure
- los — fate / destiny / lottery ticket
- przypadek — coincidence / chance
Grammar note
'Los' is the direct object of the verb 'kusić' and is in the accusative case. Since 'los' is an inanimate masculine noun, its accusative form is identical to its nominative form.
Cultural context
Poles can be quite superstitious about "tempting fate." This phrase is often used as a cautionary piece of advice among friends before someone does something daring or overconfident.
Intermediate
Noticed a typo, a wrong translation, or anything that doesn't look right? We'd love to fix it — just let us know via the contact page. Thank you!
More Polish idioms
- Literally "one's whole life flew past before the eyes," this phrase describes the vivid, involuntary …
- Literally "for an example," na przykład is the standard Polish phrase for "for example" or "for …
- Literally "in the last/recent times," ostatnimi czasy is a common temporal phrase meaning "lately," …
- Literally "in the manner of Judas," this adverb describes acting in a treacherous, backstabbing way …