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  What it means

  Literally “through acquaintance,” this phrase means getting something done — a job, a favour, a permit, a reservation — by knowing the right people rather than through official channels. It describes the practice of using personal connections to bypass rules, queues, or formal procedures. It is a deeply embedded concept in Polish social life, with historical roots in the communist era when personal networks were essential for accessing scarce goods and services.

  Vocabulary

  • znajomość — acquaintance, knowledge, connection (noun, f.)
  • znajomości — acquaintance (genitive singular of znajomość)
  • po — through, by means of (preposition governing locative, here dative-like in meaning)

  Grammar note

  'Po znajomości' uses the preposition 'po' with the locative/genitive case. This construction ('po + noun') can express manner or means: 'po cichu' (quietly), 'po znajomości' (through connections). The noun 'znajomość' is in the genitive singular here. The phrase is invariable and always used adverbially.

  Cultural context

  This phrase captures an important cultural reality in Poland — the use of personal networks (znajomości) to get things done. It can carry a neutral, pragmatic tone ('I got the table po znajomości') or an implicit criticism of a system where connections matter more than merit. During the communist PRL era, such arrangements were a survival skill. Today it is still common in many professional contexts. English equivalents include 'through connections,' 'knowing the right people,' or 'pulling strings.'

  Intermediate

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