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  What it means

  Literally “lesser evil.” This describes a situation where one is forced to choose between two or more unpleasant options. The “mniejsze zło” is the choice that causes the least amount of harm or is the most tolerable of the bad alternatives.

  Vocabulary

  • mniejszy — smaller / lesser
  • zło — evil / badness
  • wybór — choice

  Grammar note

  'Mniejsze' is the neuter form of the comparative adjective 'mniejszy', matching the neuter gender of the noun 'zło'. Polish adjectives must always agree with their nouns in gender, number, and case.

  Cultural context

  This is a common phrase in Polish political discourse and philosophy, famously explored in the "Witcher" series by Andrzej Sapkowski, where the protagonist often struggles with the concept of the lesser evil.

  Beginner

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