Cóż święty Józef zniesie? Kaczka pierwsze jaja zniesie
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What it means
What will Saint Joseph bring? The duck will lay its first eggs , a weather proverb tied to Saint Joseph’s Day (19 March), predicting the arrival of spring.
Vocabulary
- znieść — to bear, to endure; also to lay (eggs)
- święty Józef — Saint Joseph
- kaczka — duck
- jaja — eggs
Grammar note
Wordplay on 'znieść': 'co zniesie' means both 'what will he endure/bring' and 'what will she lay'. The double meaning drives the humour.
Cultural context
Saint Joseph's Day (19 March) is a traditional marker of early spring in the Polish folk calendar.
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