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  What it means

  Literally “to err is a human thing,” this is the Polish rendering of the Latin proverb “errare humanum est” — “to err is human.” It is used to excuse or console someone (or oneself) after making a mistake, suggesting that errors are a natural and inevitable part of being human.

  Vocabulary

  • mylić się — to make a mistake, to be wrong (reflexive imperfective)
  • rzeczą — a thing, a matter (instrumental of 'rzecz')
  • ludzką — human (instrumental feminine of 'ludzki')

  Grammar note

  The infinitive 'mylić się' acts as the grammatical subject. 'Rzeczą ludzką' (a human thing) uses the instrumental case as a predicate complement after 'jest' (is) — a classic Polish construction.

  Cultural context

  The full Latin proverb continues 'sed in errore perseverare diabolicum est' (but to persist in error is diabolical), though Poles typically cite only the first half as a gentle excuse or consolation.

  Intermediate

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