Polish Idioms Explained — S (59)
All Polish idioms starting with the letter S — explanations, vocabulary, grammar notes, and cultural context for learners.
- Literally: "to walk on thin ice." The image is of crossing a frozen surface that is too fragile to bear weight safely — one wrong step and you fall through. …
- Literally "a magnifying glass" — the optical tool that makes objects appear larger than they are. As a figurative expression, "patrzeć przez szkło …
- Literally "I lay myself at your little feet," using the diminutive nóżki (little feet) to heighten the tone of exaggerated deference. The idiom expresses …
- Literally "a sad sir" or "a sad mister," this phrase describes someone who is unnecessarily gloomy, downcast, or a killjoy. It is often used with a slightly …
- Literally "to stand on one's own feet (legs)," this idiom means to become independent — financially, emotionally, or practically. It is used when someone stops …
- Literally "worth a stroke" or "worth a blow," this phrase draws on the archaic noun szlak (also spelled szlag), meaning a blow or stroke and used as a mild …
- Literally: "fed with starlings." This humorous phrase describes a person whose hair has turned grey or has notable grey streaks — the speckled black-and-white …
- Literally: "Sisyphean work" or "Sisyphean labor." This idiom describes any task that is endless, repetitive, and ultimately futile — like rolling a boulder …
- Literally: "holy words." This exclamation is used to wholeheartedly agree with something someone has just said — equivalent to "truer words were never spoken" …
- Literally "strength of will," this phrase means willpower or determination — the inner force that drives a person to persist through difficulty. It is used …
- Literally "to sweep away from in front of one's nose," this idiom means to snatch something from right under someone's nose — to take something just before …
- Literally meaning "May God grant you luck," this is a traditional Polish greeting and blessing, most closely translated as "God bless you" or "Godspeed." It is …
- Literally "sex bomb," this term describes a person—usually a woman—who is perceived as exceptionally attractive and possessing great sex appeal. While borrowed …
- Literally "means of transport." While it is the standard term for any vehicle (bus, car, train), it is often used humorously or pointedly in Polish. For …
- Literally "to stand on one's eyelashes." This vivid idiom means to go to impossible lengths or to do everything humanly possible to achieve a goal or satisfy …
- Means "to pay no attention whatsoever" — literally "to listen like a pig listens to thunder". Used to describe someone who completely ignores what they're being …
- Literally "to reach the pavement/cobblestones." Means to fall into extreme poverty or social disgrace — to hit rock bottom, to end up on the streets. Used of …
- Literally "to chase sleep from eyelids." Means to worry someone greatly, to keep them awake at night, to be a source of serious concern. Used of problems, …
- Literally "to skim the cream." Means to take the best part of something while leaving the rest to others — to cherry-pick the most profitable or enjoyable bits …
- Literally "to write off as a loss." Means to give up on something or someone, to consider them beyond saving or not worth further effort — the Polish equivalent …
- Literally "to burn up with shame." Means to feel so embarrassed that you wish the ground would swallow you — an intense expression of mortification.
- Literally "to run off like water off a duck." Means that criticism, insults, or problems have no effect on someone — they simply don't care or are unaffected. …
- Literally "to rest on someone's shoulders." Means that a responsibility or burden falls on a particular person — they must carry it.
- Literally "to rest on one's laurels." Means to stop making an effort after achieving success, relying on past accomplishments instead of continuing to work …
- Literally "to lie / rest on someone's shoulders." The imperfective counterpart of 'spocząć na barkach' — describes an ongoing state where a responsibility or …
- Literally "to rest on one's laurels." The imperfective counterpart of 'spocząć na laurach' — describes the ongoing state of coasting on past success without …
- Literally "from under a dark star." Describes a person of dubious character — a shady, untrustworthy, or morally questionable individual. Often used as a …
- Literally "from under the head / skull." Describes a sullen, suspicious, or hostile look — glancing at someone from under lowered brows, with distrust or …
- Literally "to look truth in the eyes." Means to face reality honestly, to stop avoiding an uncomfortable truth and acknowledge it directly.
- Literally "alone like a finger," this is a common simile used to express extreme loneliness or isolation. It paints a picture of a single finger standing alone …
- Literally "to hide one's head in the sand," this idiom describes the act of ignoring a problem or refusing to acknowledge a difficult reality. It suggests a …
- Literally "cucumber season." Refers to the dull summer period (July-August) when nothing significant happens in politics or culture, and news outlets report on …
- Literally "to sit quiet like a mouse under a broom." This describes someone who is being extremely quiet and trying to remain completely unnoticed. It often …
- Literally "to sit on suitcases," this idiom describes a state of being ready to depart at any moment or living in a temporary, unsettled situation. It can refer …
- Literally "the seventh water after the kisel," this colourful idiom describes a very distant relative — someone whose family connection is so remote it is …
- Literally "straw enthusiasm," this idiom describes motivation that burns brightly but dies out almost instantly — just like straw, which catches fire easily but …
- Literally "an elephant stepped on [someone's] ear." This is the standard Polish way to say that someone is tone-deaf or has absolutely no musical talent. The …
- Literally "to grease boot tops," this old expression originally referred to a suitor sitting close to a woman by the fire, softening leather as he courted her. …
- Literally "to sleep like a ground squirrel," this is the Polish equivalent of the English "to sleep like a log" or "to sleep like a dormouse." It refers to …
- Literally "to fall on four paws." Just as a cat instinctively twists its body to land safely on its feet, this idiom describes a person who consistently manages …
- Literally "to flow like water off a duck," this is the Polish version of "like water off a duck's back." It describes a situation where criticism, insults, or …
- Literally "to chase sleep from the eyelids," this evocative idiom means that something is causing so much worry, stress, or anxiety that it prevents you from …
- Literally "the Augean stable." Derived from the Greek myth of Hercules, this refers to a place that is incredibly filthy or a situation of extreme chaos and …
- Literally "to stand like an oak." While it sounds like it might mean being sturdy, it actually refers to a horse rearing up on its hind legs. Figuratively, it …
- Literally "to stand on one's head," this idiom means to do everything humanly possible—even the most extreme or difficult things—to achieve a specific result. …
- Literally "old love doesn't rust." This romantic proverb suggests that deep feelings for a past lover never truly vanish, no matter how much time has passed. It …
- Literally "to smash into a sour apple," this colourful idiom means to beat someone badly, to thrash them thoroughly, or to defeat them decisively. It is used …
- Literally "fears for the Lachs (Poles)," this idiom dismisses something as an empty threat or baseless scare — much ado about nothing. It is used to tell …
- Literally "a shot into the ten," this phrase refers to hitting the bullseye on a target. Figuratively, it means a perfect success, an excellent choice, or an …
- Literally "to shoot a huff." This is a very common slang term for sulking or getting offended, especially over something small. When someone "strzela focha," …
- Literally "to shoot from the ear," this idiom means to say things that have no basis in fact — to invent information on the spot, to bluff, or to talk complete …
- Literally "to shine with one's eyes." This idiom means to feel deeply embarrassed or ashamed on behalf of someone else. If you have to "świecić oczami" for a …
- Literally "freshly baked," this charming idiom is used to describe someone who has very recently attained a new status, title, or role. Whether it's a "freshly …
- Literally "I didn't herd pigs with you," this blunt expression is used to rebuke someone who is being overly familiar or addressing you too informally without …
- Literally "a cobbler's passion," this idiom means extreme rage or fury — the kind of anger that makes you lose your temper completely. It refers to the …
- Literally "cool chief" or "chill, chief." A very casual, colloquial expression meaning "no worries," "take it easy," or "it's all good."
- Literally "to stand on one's eyelashes," this vivid idiom describes making extraordinary effort — straining every resource to achieve something or to please …
- Literally "to look for a hole in something whole/complete," this idiom means to nitpick, to find fault with everything, or to look for problems where none …
- Literally "to search for a needle in a haystack," this idiom is a perfect parallel to its English counterpart. It describes the act of looking for something …