Literally "on the reverse / backwards." Means the wrong way round, back to front, in reverse — "backwards," "the wrong way," "upside down."

Literally "on the antenna / on air." Means currently broadcasting, live on radio or television — "on air," "on the air."

Literally "to attention." The military command to stand at attention — used both literally (in the army) and figuratively to mean alert, watchful, ready. "At …

Literally "askew, at an angle." Means not right, out of alignment, at odds with something — "at odds with," "not quite right," "skewed." E.g. "być na bakier z …

Literally "on ban." Internet/gaming slang — to be banned, to get a ban. "To get banned," "to be on a ban."

Literally "on the bank / at the bank." Colloquially means for certain, definitely, without a doubt — "for sure," "guaranteed," "you can bank on it."

Literally "on the bubble/balloon." Colloquial for being drunk — "tipsy," "on the sauce," "a bit gone."

Literally "where there are no fish, a crayfish counts as a fish." When better options aren't available, you make do with what's on hand — "beggars can't be …

Literally "on the current / up to date." Means keeping up with things as they happen, staying current — "up to date," "on top of things," "as you go." E.g. "być …

Literally "on the sheet metal / on the plate." Colloquial for doing something for free, on the house, or getting away with something without paying — "for …

Literally "for God's sake / by God." An exclamation of surprise, exasperation, or emphasis — "for God's sake," "good God," "by God."

Literally "to the side." Means aside, out of the way — used to tell someone to step aside, or figuratively to set something aside for later. "Step aside," "put …

Literally "barefoot." Means without shoes or socks — walking barefoot. A very common everyday expression.

Literally "like a trinket / with great care." Means treating something very carefully and delicately, as if it were a precious object — "with kid gloves," "very …

Literally "at full throat." Means shouting or singing at the top of one's voice — "at the top of one's lungs," "full-throated."

Literally "at full / going all out." Means with full force, completely, without holding back — "full blast," "all out," "going for it."

Literally "on the whole line." Means completely, totally, across the board — "across the board," "on all fronts," "completely." E.g. "przegrać na całej linii" — …

Literally "for the whole / all in." Means going all in, committing everything — "all or nothing," "going for broke."

Literally "at full voice." Means speaking or shouting as loudly as possible — "at the top of one's voice," "full volume."

Literally "at full throttle / full regulator." Means at maximum volume or speed — "full blast," "at full throttle," "turned up to the max."

Literally "like a boor / the rude way." Means doing something crudely, rudely, or by brute force — without finesse or manners. "Rough and ready," "by brute …

Literally "by peasant's reason." Means using plain common sense, without sophisticated analysis — "by common sense," "in plain terms," "simply put."

Literally "on the quick." Means hastily, quickly, without much care — "on the quick," "in a rush," "slap-dash."

Literally "on missed-hit." Means at random, haphazardly, without aim — "hit or miss," "at random," "taking a shot in the dark."

Literally "for every day." Means everyday, ordinary, for daily use — "for everyday use," "on a daily basis," "day to day."

Literally "on black / in black." Means off the books, illegally, without declaring to authorities — "under the table," "cash in hand," "off the books." E.g. …

Literally "on time." Means punctually, at the right time — "on time," "in time."

Literally "on an empty stomach / fasting." Means without having eaten — on an empty stomach. Used both literally (medical instructions) and figuratively (doing …

Literally "at the head." Means in the lead, at the front, heading something — "at the head of," "leading," "in charge." E.g. "stać na czele organizacji" — to …

Literally "in honour of." Used in toasts and dedications — "in honour of," "to the health of," "here's to." E.g. "wznieść toast na cześć kogoś" — to raise a …

Literally "on all fours." Means crawling on hands and knees — "on all fours," "on hands and knees."

Literally "for nothing / in vain." Means without result, uselessly, for nothing — "in vain," "for nothing," "to no avail."

Literally "over the longer stretch." Means in the long run, over time — "in the long run," "over the long term."

Literally "in the days / within days." Means very soon, in the next few days — "any day now," "in the next few days," "shortly."

Literally "for the finishing blow." Means to finish someone off, as a final blow — "to finish off," "the coup de grâce." Also used figuratively: "and to top it …

Literally "for good night." The standard Polish way to say goodnight — "goodnight," "as a goodnight." Also used for anything given or done as a final gesture …

Literally "for good and for bad." Means through thick and thin, in good times and bad — "for better or worse," "through thick and thin."

Literally "for a second helping / on top." Means additionally, on top of everything else — "on top of that," "to boot," "what's more," "for good measure."

Literally "to top off the bad / to make matters worse." Used to introduce yet another misfortune on top of existing ones — "to make matters worse," "to cap it …

Literally "on the road / by way of." Used figuratively to mean by means of, through — "by way of," "through," "via." E.g. "na drodze negocjacji" — through …

Literally "on two fronts." Means fighting or dealing with two problems or opponents simultaneously — "on two fronts," "fighting a war on two fronts."

Literally "the old woman told fortunes both ways." Means it could go either way — the outcome is uncertain, it's fifty-fifty. "It could go either way," "your …

Literally "for good day / as a hello." Means right from the start, as the very first thing — "first thing," "straight off the bat," "right from the word go." …

Literally "on the wave." Means riding high, at the peak of success or popularity — "on a roll," "riding the wave," "on the crest of a wave."

Literally "for real / properly." Colloquial intensifier meaning very, really, properly — "for real," "seriously," "properly." E.g. "na fest zmęczony" — really …

Literally "to the full / full blast." Means at maximum capacity, completely full, or at full intensity — "full blast," "to the max," "full."

Literally "on gas." Means going fast, at full speed — "stepping on the gas," "full throttle." Also colloquially means drunk.

Literally "on the mouth / by word of mouth." Means verbally, without written agreement — "on a handshake," "by word of mouth," "on one's word." E.g. "umowa na …

Literally "like a giant / on a giant scale." Means on a massive scale, enormously — "on a grand scale," "in a big way," "massively."

Literally "to a shine / polished." Means polished to perfection, gleaming — "spick and span," "polished to a shine," "immaculate."

Literally "aloud / out loud." Means speaking audibly rather than silently — "out loud," "aloud." E.g. "czytać na głos" — to read aloud.

Literally "naked / in the buff." Means completely naked — "in the buff," "starkers," "in one's birthday suit."

Literally "in the hot act." Means caught in the act, red-handed — "caught red-handed," "in flagrante delicto."

Literally "urgently / by force." Means urgently, desperately, at all costs — "urgently," "desperately," "at once." E.g. "potrzebuję tego na gwałt" — I need this …

Literally "at the bugle call." Means at the crack of dawn, at the very first signal — "at the bugle call," "at first light," "bright and early."

Literally "on hurrah / with a cheer." Means rashly, impulsively, without thinking — charging ahead with enthusiasm but no plan. "Gung-ho," "headlong," "without …

Literally "in neutral gear / idling." Means doing nothing productive, spinning one's wheels — "in neutral," "idling," "going nowhere."

Literally "while awake / in waking life." Means while conscious, not dreaming — "while awake," "in real life," "in waking life." E.g. "to mi się przyśniło czy …

Literally "on one leg." Means very quickly, in a flash — "in no time," "in a jiffy," "back in a flash." E.g. "zaraz wracam, na jednej nodze" — I'll be right …

Literally "on a hedgehog / on edge." Means on edge, tense, prickly — ready to react defensively at any moment. "On edge," "prickly," "touchy."

Literally "on a hangover." Means suffering from a hangover — "hungover," "with a hangover."

Literally "on card / by card." Means paying by card (credit/debit) — "by card," "card payment." E.g. "czy mogę zapłacić na kartę?" — can I pay by card?

Literally "on one's knees." Means kneeling — both literally and figuratively (begging, pleading, being completely submissive). "On one's knees," "on bended …

Literally "on one's knees." Similar to 'na klęczkach' but more commonly used figuratively — completely defeated, humiliated, or submissive. "On one's knees," …

Literally "at the end of the day." A discourse marker meaning ultimately, when all is considered — "at the end of the day," "when all is said and done."

Literally "at the end." Means at the very end, last — "at the end," "in the end," "finally."

Literally "on the tip of the tongue." Means a word or name is almost remembered but just out of reach — "on the tip of one's tongue."

Literally "for a heap / by the pile." Means in large quantities, in bulk — "by the pile," "loads of," "heaps of."

Literally "to the benefit of / in favour of." Means in someone's favour, to their advantage — "in favour of," "to the benefit of," "for the good of."

Literally "on credit." Means buying or getting something now and paying later — "on credit," "on tick," "on the tab."

Literally "on a crooked snout / by sheer cheek." Means getting something through sheer nerve, without any right or justification — "by sheer cheek," "through …

Literally "crosswise / in a cross." Means crosswise, across, in a cross pattern — "crosswise," "across." Also used for being completely flat on one's back.

Literally "in the shape of / in the manner of." Means resembling, in the form of, similar to — "in the shape of," "in the manner of," "something like."

Literally "into a pile / together." Means all together, in one place, gathered up — "all together," "in a heap," "piled up." E.g. "zebrać wszystko na kupę" — to …

Literally "to the left side / inside out." Means inside out, the wrong way — "inside out," "the wrong way round." E.g. "koszula na lewą stronę" — shirt inside …

Literally "for God's mercy." An exclamation of exasperation or pleading — "for God's sake," "for pity's sake," "for heaven's sake."

Literally "head over neck." Means headlong, at breakneck speed, in a mad rush — "headlong," "at breakneck speed," "helter-skelter."

Literally "on the deathbed." Means at the point of death, in one's final moments — "on one's deathbed."

Literally "to the max." Means at maximum intensity, completely, to the fullest — "to the max," "full on," "all the way."

Literally "like Małysz / in Małysz style." Means jumping or flying through the air with great distance and style — like ski jumping champion Adam Małysz. Used …

Literally "on your marks, ready, go." The standard Polish starting command for a race — "on your marks, get set, go."

Literally "on the spot / in place." Means immediately, right there and then, or in the right place — "on the spot," "right there," "in place." E.g. "zrób to na …

Literally "by gestures / in sign language." Means communicating through gestures, sign language, or mime — when words aren't possible or understood. "By signs," …

Literally "for God's love / for the love of God." A strong exclamation of exasperation, pleading, or emphasis — "for the love of God," "for goodness' sake."

Literally "to the dregs / spent." Means completely exhausted, drained, used up — "spent," "wiped out," "done in."

Literally "by the power of / by virtue of." A formal phrase meaning by virtue of, under the authority of — "by virtue of," "pursuant to," "under." E.g. "na mocy …

Literally "in my opinion / to my mind." A colloquial way of expressing a personal opinion — "in my view," "to my mind," "the way I see it."

Literally "on wall concrete." Means absolutely certain, guaranteed, no doubt about it — "for sure," "dead certain," "concrete."

Literally "to mind / to thought." Used in phrases like 'przychodzić na myśl' (to come to mind) or 'na myśl o czymś' (at the thought of something).

Literally "as if / pretend." Means pretending, not for real, make-believe — "pretend," "as if," "make-believe." E.g. "bawić się na niby" — to play pretend.

Literally "to the disadvantage of." Means against someone's interests, to their detriment — "to the disadvantage of," "against," "to the detriment of."

Literally "on one's feet." Means standing, up and about, or recovered from illness — "on one's feet," "up and about," "standing." E.g. "być na nogach od rana" — …

Literally "anew / afresh." Means starting again from the beginning, fresh — "anew," "afresh," "all over again."

Literally "at New Year the day grows by a sheep's leap." Means that after the winter solstice, days start getting longer — but only by a tiny amount at first, …

Literally "on leaving / as a parting shot." Means as a final act before leaving, as a parting gesture — "on the way out," "as a parting shot," "before leaving." …

Literally "at the point of leaving." Very similar to 'na odchodne' — means just as one is leaving, at the last moment before departure. "Just as I was leaving," …

Literally "in reverse / the other way." Means the opposite way, in reverse, the wrong way round — "the other way round," "in reverse," "backwards."

Literally "in general / on the whole." Means generally, as a rule, in most cases — "generally," "on the whole," "as a rule."

Literally "by eye / to the eye." Means approximately, by rough estimation — "by eye," "roughly," "at a guess," "eyeballing it."

Literally "roundly / in a round." Means continuously, non-stop, around the clock — "round the clock," "non-stop," "continuously."

Literally "the wrong way / inside out." Means the wrong way round, back to front, perversely — "the wrong way," "perversely," "topsy-turvy."

Literally "in private / in seclusion." Means privately, alone, away from others — "in private," "alone," "in seclusion." E.g. "porozmawiać na osobności" — to …

Literally "wide open." Means completely open, thrown wide — "wide open," "flung open." E.g. "drzwi na oścież" — doors wide open.

Literally "blindly / as if blind." Means blindly, without looking or thinking — "blindly," "without looking," "headlong."

Literally "as a memento / in memory of." Means as a souvenir or keepsake, to remember something by — "as a memento," "in memory of," "as a souvenir."

Literally "by heart / from memory." Means memorised, learned by heart — "by heart," "from memory." E.g. "znać na pamięć" — to know by heart.

Literally "on paper." Means in theory, officially documented but not necessarily real — "on paper," "in theory," "officially." E.g. "to wygląda dobrze na …

Literally "for certain / surely." The most common Polish word for "certainly," "definitely," "for sure" — used constantly in everyday speech.

Literally "in bunches." Means in large quantities, in abundance — "by the bunch," "in droves," "loads of them."

Literally "on foot / by infantry." Means walking, on foot — "on foot," "by foot." E.g. "iść na piechotę" — to go on foot.

Literally "into the first fire." Means first in line, the first to go — "first up," "first into the fray," "first to face the music."

Literally "at the first throw of the eye." Means at first glance, immediately upon seeing — "at first glance," "at first sight."

Literally "doggy style / like a dog." Means on all fours, in the manner of a dog — used both literally (crawling) and as a sexual position reference. In polite …

Literally "on the stump / while still standing." Means sold before being harvested or completed — "sold on the vine," "sold before it's made." Also means …

Literally "at the beginning." Means at the start, initially — "at the beginning," "at first," "initially."

Literally "on double gas." Means at double speed, with twice the energy — "at double speed," "in overdrive," "going full throttle." Also colloquially means very …

Literally "to the gallows / to ruin." An exclamation wishing destruction or downfall on someone — "down with," "to hell with," "to the gallows with." E.g. "na …

Literally "for show." Means done for appearances only, not genuine — "for show," "for appearances," "window dressing."

Literally "on the daily agenda." Means happening regularly, commonplace, routine — "on the agenda," "a regular occurrence," "par for the course." E.g. "to jest …

Literally "to the power of / massively." Means enormously, on a massive scale, to an extreme degree — "massively," "to the nth degree," "in a big way."

Literally "seriously / for real." Means seriously, genuinely, not joking — "seriously," "for real," "in earnest."

Literally "for the return / back again." Means back, again, returning to a previous state — "back," "once again," "back to."

Literally "for a repeat / again." Means once more, for a second time — "again," "once more," "for a repeat."

Literally "at the level / up to standard." Means of good quality, up to scratch, decent — "up to standard," "decent," "at a good level." E.g. "to jest na …

Literally "at first appearance / seemingly." Means apparently, on the surface, seemingly — "seemingly," "apparently," "on the face of it."

Literally "at half a whistle." Means half-heartedly, at half capacity, without full effort — "half-heartedly," "at half steam," "going through the motions."

Literally "for later." Means saving or deferring something for a later time — "for later," "to save for later."

Literally "in vain / for nothing." Means without result, uselessly — "in vain," "to no avail," "for nothing."

Literally "at the front." Means at the front, in the lead position — "at the front," "in front," "leading."

Literally "in defiance of / contrary to." Means deliberately doing the opposite, out of spite or stubbornness — "in defiance of," "contrary to," "out of spite." …

Literally "cross-country / cutting across." Means going directly across country, cutting through rather than following roads — "cross-country," "cutting …

Literally "alternately / in turns." Means alternating, taking turns, one after the other — "alternately," "in turns," "by turns."

Literally "through and through / shot through." Means completely through, from one side to the other — "through and through," "right through." E.g. "przebity na …

Literally "on a little point / on a dot." Means exactly on time, precisely — "on the dot," "exactly," "to the minute."

Literally "on an empty stomach." Means without having eaten — "on an empty stomach." Used both literally and figuratively (doing something without proper …

Literally "on a buzz / tipsy." Means slightly drunk, pleasantly intoxicated — "tipsy," "on a buzz," "merry."

Literally "at once / in one go." Means all at once, in a single attempt — "in one go," "at once," "all at once."

Literally "for now / at the moment." One of the most common Polish phrases — means "for now," "at the moment," "see you later." Used both as "for now" …

Literally "on equal footing / equally." Means equally, on the same level — "equally," "on a par," "on equal footing." E.g. "traktować na równi" — to treat …

Literally "by brute force / clumsily." Means doing something by sheer force without finesse — "by brute force," "ham-fistedly," "clumsily."

Literally "for the benefit of / in favour of." Means in support of, for the sake of — "in favour of," "for the benefit of," "on behalf of." E.g. "pracować na …

Literally "to boast / for show." Means excellent, first-rate, outstanding — "top-notch," "first-rate," "excellent." E.g. "zrobione na schwał" — done …

Literally "seriously." Means genuinely, not joking — "seriously," "for real," "in earnest." One of the most common ways to ask or confirm seriousness.

Literally "for a hundred / at a hundred." Means at full speed, at 100 km/h, or at maximum capacity — "flat out," "at full speed," "a hundred percent."

Literally "by force." Means forcibly, against resistance, or doing something that doesn't come naturally — "by force," "forcibly," "forcing it." E.g. "nie rób …

Literally "diagonally / at an angle." Means diagonally, at a slant — "diagonally," "at an angle," "on the bias."

Literally "on the edge / at the brink." Means at the very edge of something — "on the edge of," "at the brink of," "on the verge of." E.g. "na skraju lasu" — at …

Literally "as a result of." A formal connective meaning as a consequence of, due to — "as a result of," "due to," "owing to."

Literally "in partnership with / jointly with." Means together with, sharing — "jointly with," "in cahoots with," "together with."

Literally "for sale." Means available for purchase — "for sale."

Literally "permanently / for good." Means permanently, for good, on a permanent basis — "permanently," "for good," "on a permanent basis."

Literally "in stock / on hand." Means available, in stock, on hand — "in stock," "available," "on hand." E.g. "mamy to na stanie" — we have it in stock.

Literally "at a hundred percent." Means completely, absolutely, one hundred percent — "a hundred percent," "absolutely," "completely."

Literally "standing up." Means while standing, in a standing position — "standing up," "on one's feet." E.g. "zjeść na stojąco" — to eat standing up.

Literally "on the side / aside." Means on the side, separately, privately — "on the side," "aside," "separately." E.g. "wziąć kogoś na stronę" — to take someone …

Literally "just touching / barely." Means just barely, with no margin to spare — "just barely," "by the skin of one's teeth," "cutting it fine."

Literally "for luck / fortunately." Means fortunately, luckily — "fortunately," "luckily," "as luck would have it."

Literally "to the detriment of." Means to someone's harm or disadvantage — "to the detriment of," "to the harm of."

Literally "on end / upright." Means standing on end, upright, or bristling — "on end," "upright," "standing up." E.g. "włosy stanęły na sztorc" — hair stood on …

Literally "on speed / at speed." Means quickly, at speed, in a hurry — "at speed," "quickly," "on the fly."

Literally "to death and life." Means a matter of life and death, with everything at stake — "a life-or-death matter," "to the death."

Literally "on the candlestick." Means in the spotlight, in a prominent public position — "in the spotlight," "in the public eye," "on a pedestal."

Literally "on Saint Never's Day." Means never — something that will never happen. The Polish equivalent of "when pigs fly" or "on the twelfth of never."

Literally "on the wallpaper / on the table." Means currently under discussion, on the agenda — "on the table," "being discussed," "on the agenda."

Literally "on topic / on the subject." Means relevant, on point — "on topic," "on the subject," "relevant." E.g. "mów na temat" — stick to the point.

Literally "to alarm / for alarm." Means sounding the alarm, raising the alert — "to sound the alarm," "to raise the alarm." E.g. "bić na trwogę" — to sound the …

Literally "by the dozen." Means in large quantities, by the dozen — "by the dozen," "in droves."

Literally "in your place." Means if I were you — "in your place," "if I were you." E.g. "na twoim miejscu bym tego nie robił" — in your place I wouldn't do …

Literally "to that extent / enough." Means sufficiently, to that degree — "enough," "sufficiently," "to that extent." E.g. "na tyle dobrze, żeby…" — well enough …

Literally "on the side / off the beaten track." Means away from the main action, in a secluded spot — "off the beaten track," "on the sidelines," "out of the …

Literally "at a slant / diagonally." Means at an angle, diagonally — "at a slant," "diagonally," "askew." Similar to 'na skos' but slightly more emphatic.

Literally "to death / to the point of dying." Means to an extreme degree, to death — "to death," "to the point of exhaustion." E.g. "zmęczony na umór" — dead …

Literally "by weight." Means sold or measured by weight — "by weight," "by the kilo." E.g. "sprzedawać na wagę" — to sell by weight.

Literally "worth its weight in gold." Means extremely valuable, precious, irreplaceable — "worth its weight in gold."

Literally "for yesterday." Means needed urgently, already overdue — "needed yesterday," "overdue," "urgently needed." E.g. "to było potrzebne na wczoraj" — this …

Literally "at the sight of." Means upon seeing something, at the sight of — "at the sight of," "upon seeing." E.g. "na widok krwi zemdlała" — at the sight of …

Literally "for ages / forever." Means forever, for eternity — "forever," "for eternity," "for all time."

Literally "on one's own hand." Means independently, on one's own initiative, without help or permission — "on one's own," "independently," "off one's own bat."

Literally "with one's own eyes." Means seeing something personally, as a direct witness — "with one's own eyes," "firsthand."

Literally "at one's own risk." Means taking full personal responsibility for the consequences — "at one's own risk."

Literally "at one's own request / by one's own wish." Means something happened because the person wanted it — often used when someone brought trouble on …

Literally "on one's own skin." Means experiencing something personally and directly, often painfully — "on one's own skin," "firsthand," "the hard way." E.g. …

Literally "as one's own property." Means to own outright, as personal property — "as one's own," "outright ownership." E.g. "dostać coś na własność" — to …

Literally "in freedom / at liberty." Means free, not imprisoned, at large — "free," "at liberty," "on the loose."

Literally "through and through." Means completely, thoroughly, right through — "through and through," "to the core." E.g. "przemoczony na wskroś" — soaked …

Literally "for any eventuality / just in case." Means as a precaution, just in case — "just in case," "to be safe," "as a precaution."

Literally "by all that is holy." A solemn oath or emphatic exclamation — "by all that is holy," "I swear on everything sacred."

Literally "at arm's reach." Means very close, easily accessible — "within arm's reach," "at one's fingertips."

Literally "at the exit / on the way out." Means about to leave, on the verge of departure or dismissal — "on the way out," "about to go," "nearly done."

Literally "to take away / for takeout." Means takeaway, to go — food ordered to take away rather than eat in. "To go," "takeaway," "takeout."

Literally "in case of / in the event of." Means in case something happens — "in case of," "in the event of." E.g. "na wypadek pożaru" — in case of fire.

Literally "for growth / oversized." Means buying or planning something larger than currently needed, to allow for future growth — "to grow into," "with room to …

Literally "by snatches / at random." Means randomly, by spot-checking, picking things out at random — "at random," "by spot check," "here and there." E.g. …

Literally "on the model of / after the pattern of." Means modelled on, following the example of — "modelled on," "after the fashion of," "in the style of."

Literally "to the kill / to death." Means extremely, to an extreme degree — "like crazy," "to death," "madly." E.g. "zakochany na zabój" — madly in love; …

Literally "in reserve / as a supply." Means stocking up, keeping in reserve — "in reserve," "as a backup," "stocking up."

Literally "for later / for afterwards." Means saving something for later — "for later," "to save for afterwards."

Literally "at a call / on command." Means immediately available, ready at a moment's notice — "at one's beck and call," "on command," "at the drop of a hat."

Literally "forever / for always." Means permanently, for all time — "forever," "for good," "permanently."

Literally "to health." The standard Polish toast — "cheers," "to your health." Also said when someone sneezes — "bless you."

Literally "by healthy reason / by common sense." Means using plain common sense — "by common sense," "logically speaking," "rationally."

Literally "at neck-breaking speed." Means at breakneck speed, dangerously fast — "at breakneck speed," "neck-breakingly fast."

Literally "out of spite / to annoy." Means doing something deliberately to annoy or spite someone — "out of spite," "to be contrary," "just to annoy."

Literally "in turns / alternately." Means taking turns, alternating — "in turns," "alternately," "by turns."

Literally "to stuff into a bottle." Means to trick or deceive someone, to take them for a ride — "to con someone," "to pull the wool over someone's eyes," "to …

Literally "to take on colours." Means to become more vivid, lively, or interesting — a situation, story, or person gaining colour and life. "To come alive," "to …

Literally "to take on a blush / to gain colour in the cheeks." Means to become healthier, more vibrant, to regain vitality — "to get one's colour back," "to …

Literally "towards morning / just before dawn." Means in the early hours, just before dawn — "in the small hours," "towards morning," "just before dawn."

Literally "beyond one's age." Means beyond one's years, more mature or capable than one's age would suggest — "beyond one's years," "precocious," "mature for …

Literally "beyond expression." Means extremely, beyond words — "exceedingly," "beyond measure," "extremely." E.g. "nad wyraz piękny" — exceedingly beautiful.

Literally "above life / more than life." Means more than life itself — used to express the deepest possible love or devotion. "More than life itself." E.g. …

Literally "to broadcast on the same waves." Means to be on the same wavelength or to have a common understanding with someone.

Literally "to step on (someone's) corn." Means to offend someone or touch upon a sensitive subject—"to tread on someone's toes."

Literally "overzealousness is worse than fascism." A hyperbolic way to say that someone being too eager or trying too hard often causes more harm than good.

Literally "it is darkest under the lamp-post." Means that the things most sought after are often hidden in plain sight, or that scandals happen where they are …

Literally "the highest time." Means "it's high time" or "it's about time" that something happened.

Literally "to put on a muzzle." Means to censor someone, restrict their freedom of speech, or forcefully silence them.

Literally "to make bigos." Means to create a big mess of a situation — to cause chaos or trouble.

Literally "nature pulls the wolf to the forest." Means that people eventually return to their true nature or old habits, no matter how much they try to change. …

Literally "loaded/smashed like a Messerschmitt." A very common, slightly vulgar way to say someone is extremely drunk.

Literally "to wind pasta onto (someone's) ears." Means to lie to someone, deceive them, or tell them tall tales to get what you want.

Literally "to call things by their name." Means to speak plainly and honestly about a situation without sugarcoating it—"to call a spade a spade."

Literally "neither from here, nor from there." Means "out of the blue" or "all of a sudden" without any apparent reason.

Literally "not even into a tooth." Means to not understand something at all, or to have zero knowledge of a subject. "To not have a clue."

Literally "neither from a pear, nor from a parsley." Means "out of nowhere" or "without rhyme or reason." Used when someone says or does something completely …

Literally "nothing to add, nothing to take away." Used when something is perfect, complete, or stated so clearly that no further comment is needed. "Enough …

Literally "nothing for oneself." An idiomatic way to say something is "quite good," "decent," or "not bad at all." Often used as a compliment for appearance or …

Literally "not without a reason/cause." Used when there is a significant or valid reason behind an action or situation. "Not without good reason."

Literally "don't fear a frog." A casual, colloquial way of saying "don't worry" or "no need to be nervous."

Literally "to take no prisoners." Means to be ruthless, uncompromising, or to go all out in a competition or conflict.

Literally "to not be made of sugar." Used to tell someone (or oneself) to stop complaining about bad weather—specifically rain. "You won't melt."

Literally "not to go on foot." Used to say that a certain amount of money or a specific opportunity is not to be sniffed at—it's worth having. "It doesn't grow …

Literally "don't praise the day before the sunset." Equivalent to "don't count your chickens before they hatch."

Literally "not someone's brooch." A colloquial way to say "none of someone's business" or "not someone's problem/concern."

Literally "not to let anyone blow into one's porridge." Means to not let oneself be bullied, manipulated, or pushed around. "To stand one's ground."

Literally "don't divide the skin while it's still on the bear." Don't count your chickens before they hatch — don't make promises or plans based on something …

A colloquial expression meaning something is "not right," "uncool," "awkward," or "socially unacceptable."

Literally "there is no [dick] in the village." A very vulgar, emphatic way to say "there's no way," "it's impossible to stop," or "there's no force that can …

Literally "there is no smoke without fire." Means every rumor has some basis in reality.

Literally "there is no rose without thorns." Means nothing good comes without some difficulty or cost — every silver lining has a cloud.

Literally "there is nothing bad that wouldn't turn into something good." The Polish equivalent of "every cloud has a silver lining."

Literally "the old woman had no trouble, so she bought herself a piglet." Used when someone unnecessarily complicates their life by taking on a new, avoidable …

Literally "to not have everyone at home." A common way to say someone is "crazy," "nuts," or "not all there."

Literally "to not fit in the head." Used when something is so shocking, incredible, or scandalous that you can't wrap your mind around it. "It boggles the …

Literally "Not my circus, not my monkeys." A popular Polish idiom meaning "not my problem / not my responsibility." Used when someone wants to stay out of …

Literally "don't say 'hop' until you've jumped over." Means don't boast about success until the task is actually finished. "Don't count your chickens before …

Literally "not for a parade." Means that something is not just for show, but is actually useful, sturdy, or effective. "Not just for decoration."

Literally "to not discover America." Sarcastic response to someone stating something obvious. "You're not reinventing the wheel" or "Thanks, Captain Obvious."

Literally "not to wrap in cotton wool." Means to speak directly and frankly without hiding the truth. "To not beat around the bush."

Literally "to not [f***] around in the dance." A vulgar, emphatic way to say someone doesn't hesitate, takes decisive action, or doesn't waste time on trifles.

Literally "not to leave a dry thread." Means to criticize someone or something mercilessly—"to tear someone to shreds" or "to leave no stone unturned" in …

Literally "don't make a village." Means don't embarrass yourself (or others) — don't act in a way that's cringeworthy or unsophisticated.

Literally "don't try to scare (me), or you'll [shit] yourself." A vulgar, rhyming retort to someone making empty threats. "Your threats don't scare me."

Literally "to not smell of a grosz (penny)." Means to be completely broke or have very little money.

Literally "the devil is not as frightening as he is painted." Means something dreaded is not as bad as it seems — "his bark is worse than his bite."

Literally "not hit in the fontanelle." Means someone is clever, sharp-witted, and not easily fooled. "No fool," "sharp as a tack."

Literally "not in the sauce." Means to be in a bad mood, out of sorts, or grumpy. "To be in a funk."

Literally "not everything is gold that shines." The Polish version of "all that glitters is not gold." Warns against being deceived by appearances.

Literally "to not pour (it) behind one's collar." Means that someone likes to drink alcohol and usually drinks a lot. "To be a heavy drinker."

Literally "don't call the wolf out of the forest." Means don't invite trouble — the equivalent of "let sleeping dogs lie" or "don't tempt fate."

Literally "don't turn my guitar around." Means stop bothering me, leave me alone, or don't waste my time with trivial things.

Literally "I don't know anything about it, so I'll share my opinion." A sarcastic way to describe people who comment on topics they have no expertise in.

Literally "blue bird." Refers to someone who avoids work, lives off others, and leads a carefree, parasitic lifestyle. "A social parasite" or "a loafer."

Literally "let the stroke/palsy hit (it/him)." A very common curse or expression of frustration—"Damn it!" or "To hell with it!"

Literally "the apple doesn't fall far from the apple tree." The Polish equivalent of "like father, like son" — children resemble their parents in character and …

Literally "the apple falls not far from the apple tree." Equivalent to "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

Literally "a bear's favour." A favour that caused more trouble than it was worth — well-intentioned help that made things worse.

Literally "The German cried when he was selling (it)." A sarcastic phrase used when buying a used car, mocking the typical lie of car dealers that the previous …

Literally "an un-scalded tongue." Refers to someone who is foul-mouthed, rude, or speaks without thinking about the consequences. "To have a sharp/loose …

A very common colloquial exclamation meaning "Of course!", "Obviously!", or "You bet!" It’s a more emphatic version of "no tak."

Literally "Night Marek (Mark)." The Polish equivalent of a "night owl"—someone who stays up late and is active at night.

Literally "The wolf carried [prey] several times, then they carried the wolf too." Means that one can get away with wrongdoing for a while, but eventually, …

Literally "the knife is opening in the pocket." Used to describe a feeling of extreme irritation, anger, or moral outrage at something unfair or stupid. "It …

Literally "boring as tripe in oil." Describes something — or someone — that is painfully dull and bland. The Polish equivalent of "dull as dishwater."

Literally "as boring as tripe with oil." Used to describe something or someone incredibly dull and uninteresting. "Boring as watching paint dry."