Biedna żona taka, która ma pijaka.
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What it means
“Poor is the wife who has a drunkard.” A wife whose husband is a drunkard is to be pitied above all others. The proverb reflects the social reality of alcoholism’s toll on family life.
Vocabulary
- biedna — poor, wretched (feminine adjective)
- żona — wife
- pijak — drunkard
Grammar note
'Która ma pijaka' — relative clause; 'pijaka' is the accusative of 'pijak'.
Cultural context
Alcoholism was a persistent social problem in Polish rural and urban communities, and many proverbs address it directly.
Beginner
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