Czy się stoi, czy się leży, dwa tysiące się należy
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What it means
Whether you stand or lie down, two thousand is due. This ironic saying is about fixed pay or costs that must be paid whether anyone works or not.
English equivalent
The rent is due whether you work or not.
Vocabulary
- stać — to stand
- leżeć — to lie down
- należeć się — to be owed, to be due
Grammar note
Reflexive 'się stoi / się leży' , impersonal constructions meaning 'one stands / one lies'.
Cultural context
Originally referred to a fixed monthly wage of 2,000 złoty during the communist era; now used ironically about any unavoidable fixed payment.
Intermediate
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