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  What it means

  Literally “to mind” or “to thought,” this phrase appears in fixed constructions such as “przychodzi mi na myśl” (it comes to my mind / it occurs to me) or “na myśl o tym” (at the thought of it). It is used to express that something crosses one’s mind, or to describe a reaction triggered by thinking of something. For example: “Na myśl o egzaminie dostaję gęsiej skórki” — “At the thought of the exam I get goosebumps.”

  Vocabulary

  • myśl — thought, idea (accusative of 'myśl')
  • przychodzi mi na myśl — it comes to my mind, it occurs to me
  • gęsia skórka — goosebumps

  Grammar note

  In 'na myśl', the noun 'myśl' (feminine) is in the accusative case, used with the preposition 'na' to indicate direction toward a mental state. The full construction 'przychodzi mi na myśl' uses the dative 'mi' (to me) to express the experiencer.

  Cultural context

  This is a neutral, everyday expression used in speech and writing at all levels of formality. The construction 'przychodzi mi na myśl' is especially common and is directly equivalent to English 'it occurs to me' or 'it comes to mind.'

  Beginner

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