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  What it means

  Literally “by a small hair.” This phrase is used when something almost happened, usually something negative or dangerous, but was avoided at the very last second. It highlights how narrow the margin of safety was.

  Vocabulary

  • włos — hair
  • mały — small
  • prawie — almost

  Grammar note

  The phrase 'o mały włos' functions as an adverbial. It is often followed by a verb in the past tense with the word 'nie' (e.g., 'O mały włos nie spadłem' – I almost fell), which can be confusing for learners since 'nie' doesn't negate the event here.

  Cultural context

  This is one of the most common ways to express a "near miss" in Polish. It is used in everything from sports commentary to telling a story about a car accident.

  Beginner

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