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  What it means

  Literally “little was lacking,” this phrase is used when a situation almost happened or when something was a very close call. Whether it was nearly getting into an accident or almost winning the lottery, this expression conveys the narrowness of the margin. It is a very common reaction to any “close shave” in daily life.

  Vocabulary

  • mało — little / not much
  • brakować — to be missing / to lack
  • o mało co — almost / nearly
  • blisko — close

  Grammar note

  This is an impersonal construction in the past tense. The verb 'brakować' always takes the genitive case for the thing that is missing, though in this fixed phrase, the object is often omitted and understood from context.

  Cultural context

  Poles often add a sigh of relief when saying this. A common variation is "O mało co!" which carries the same meaning of "That was close!"

  Beginner

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