Baba z wozu, koniom lżej.
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What it means
“The woman off the cart, the horses feel lighter.” When a troublesome or burdensome person leaves, everyone else is relieved. One of the most well-known Polish proverbs.
English equivalent
Good riddance.
Vocabulary
- baba — woman (folk/colloquial)
- wóz — cart, wagon
- koń — horse; koniom = dative plural (to/for the horses)
- lżej — lighter, easier (comparative of lekko)
Grammar note
'Koniom' is the dative plural of 'koń'. 'Lżej' is a comparative adverb from 'lekko' (lightly/easily). The subject 'baba z wozu' is a nominative absolute — the cart and the lightness are linked without an explicit verb.
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