• Listen

  What it means

  Literally “strike the table, and the scissors will speak up.” This proverb is used when a general comment is made about a fault or a crime, and the guilty person immediately reacts or becomes defensive, thereby revealing themselves as the culprit.

  Vocabulary

  • uderzyć — to hit / strike
  • stół — table
  • nożyce — scissors

  Grammar note

  'Uderz' is the imperative (command) form. 'Nożyce' is a *plurale tantum* (always plural). 'Odezwą' is the future tense of 'odezwać się' (to speak up/respond).

  Cultural context

  This is one of the most famous Polish proverbs. It is frequently used in arguments or political debates when someone takes a general criticism personally.

  Advanced

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