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  What it means

  Literally “to have a snake in one’s pocket,” this colorful idiom describes someone who is extremely stingy or tight-fisted. The humorous imagery suggests that the person is so afraid of spending money that it’s as if a dangerous snake is guarding their wallet, preventing them from reaching in. You would use this to lightheartedly (or mockingly) describe a friend who never wants to pay their share or a person known for being very miserly.

  Vocabulary

  • mieć — to have
  • wąż — snake
  • kieszeń — pocket
  • skąpy — stingy / miserly

  Grammar note

  'Węża' is the accusative singular of 'wąż' (acting as the direct object of 'mieć'). 'W kieszeni' uses the locative case because the preposition 'w' indicates a static location inside the pocket.

  Cultural context

  This is a common, informal idiom throughout Poland. It is similar to the English expression "to have deep pockets and short arms," but the snake imagery is specifically Slavic and quite evocative.

  Beginner

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