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  What it means

  Literally “with all one’s strengths/forces,” this phrase means to do something with maximum effort, using every bit of energy or willpower available. It emphasises total commitment and intensity, whether the action is physical or emotional. Poles use it in both literal contexts — sprinting as fast as possible, pulling with all one’s strength — and figurative ones, such as trying desperately to hold back tears, resist temptation, or concentrate on a task.

  Vocabulary

  • ze — variant of z ('with/from'), used before consonant clusters
  • wszystkich — genitive plural of wszystkie ('all')
  • sił — genitive plural of siła ('strength, force')

  Grammar note

  The preposition z/ze meaning 'with' governs the genitive case in Polish, so both wszystkich and sił appear in the genitive plural. Ze is the phonetic variant of z used before difficult consonant clusters — here ws- — to aid pronunciation. The entire phrase functions as an adverbial modifier of manner or degree, answering 'how?' or 'to what extent?' rather than modifying a noun.

  Cultural context

  This is a very common, entirely neutral phrase used across all registers — children's sports, literary prose, political speeches, and everyday conversation alike. It carries no ironic or humorous dimension and simply intensifies whatever action it accompanies. The English equivalents include 'with all one's might,' 'as hard as one can,' 'with everything one has,' or 'flat out.'

  Beginner

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