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  What it means

  Literally “from under a dark star.” Describes a person of dubious character — a shady, untrustworthy, or morally questionable individual. Often used as a warning about someone’s reputation.

  Vocabulary

  • spod — from under (preposition + genitive)
  • ciemny — dark / shady / dubious
  • gwiazda — star

  Grammar note

  'Spod' governs the genitive: 'ciemnej gwiazdy'. The phrase functions as a post-nominal modifier: 'typ spod ciemnej gwiazdy' (a shady type).

  Cultural context

  Rooted in the old belief that a person's character was determined by the star under which they were born. A 'dark star' meant a bad omen and a bad person.

  Intermediate

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