Dobry żart tynfa wart
Listen
What it means
A good joke is worth a tynf. A witty remark or clever jest has real value , it is worth paying for.
Vocabulary
- żart — joke, jest
- tynf — tynf (a historical Polish silver coin of modest value)
Grammar note
'Tynfa wart' , genitive 'tynfa' after 'wart' (worth): 'worth a tynf'. The rhyme 'żart / wart' is the mnemonic hook.
Cultural context
The tynf was a coin used in 17th–18th century Poland. The proverb is still widely used today despite the coin being long obsolete, valued for its rhyme.
Intermediate
Noticed a typo, a wrong translation, or anything that doesn't look right? We'd love to fix it — just let us know via the contact page. Thank you!
More Polish proverbs
- "A stepmother, even if made of sugar, is always bitter." However kind she may be, a stepmother may …
- "For a wise head, two words are enough." A clever person needs only a short hint to understand. Long …
- "A Pole is wise after the damage is done." Poles, or people in general, often learn from mistakes …
- "The wise will accept advice; the fool will reject it with scorn." Wise people listen to advice, …