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  What it means

  Literally “to extend the crane (bird’s neck),” this idiom means to snoop, peer nosily, or crane your neck to see something that is not your business. It pictures someone stretching their neck like a crane for a glimpse or to listen in. Poles use it to gently mock a person who is nosy or pries into other people’s business.

  Vocabulary

  • zapuszczać — to extend, to let grow, to stick (something) further; here: to crane
  • żuraw — crane (the bird); also: well crane (a lever used to draw water)
  • żurawia — genitive of żuraw

  Grammar note

  The verb 'zapuszczać' is imperfective, stressing the repeated or habitual action of craning one's neck. 'Żurawia' is the genitive singular of 'żuraw', used here as the direct object after 'zapuszczać'. The idiom can be used reflexively ('zapuszczać żurawia gdzieś' — to poke around somewhere) or transitively.

  Cultural context

  The image comes from the long-necked crane bird and perhaps the swinging arm of a well crane, both linked with stretching and peering. This colloquial, slightly playful idiom is not rude, but it does show mild disapproval of nosy behaviour. The closest English idiom is 'to crane one's neck' or simply 'to be nosy.'

  Intermediate

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