Tracić twarz
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What it means
Literally “to lose face.” Like the English equivalent, this refers to losing one’s social standing, reputation, or dignity due to an embarrassing mistake, a lie being uncovered, or acting in a way that contradicts one’s stated values.
Vocabulary
- tracić — to lose / waste
- twarz — face
- honor — honor
Grammar note
'Twarz' is in the accusative case. 'Tracić' is the imperfective (the process of losing), while 'stracić' is the perfective (the completed act of losing face).
Cultural context
While the concept of "face" is often associated with Asian cultures, this idiom is fully naturalized in Polish and used frequently in political and business contexts.
Intermediate
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