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  What it means

  Literally “to make a pitchfork out of a needle.” It describes exaggerating a small, unimportant problem until it seems like a major catastrophe. The image turns something tiny and sharp, a simple sewing needle, into something large and imposing, a pitchfork.

  Vocabulary

  • igła — needle
  • widły — pitchfork
  • przesadzać — to exaggerate

  Grammar note

  'Z igły' (genitive) indicates the starting material. 'Widły' is the accusative plural. Notably, 'widły' is a *plurale tantum*—it only exists in plural form, much like "pants" or "scissors."

  Cultural context

  This is one of the first idioms Polish children learn. It is a classic way to tell someone that they are overreacting.

  Intermediate

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