Gdy na świętą Barbarę gęś chodzi po lodzie, to Boże Narodzenie będzie po wodzie
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What it means
If a goose walks on ice on Saint Barbara’s day (4 December), Christmas will be wet and mild. A popular winter weather proverb.
Vocabulary
- gęś — goose
- lód — ice
- Boże Narodzenie — Christmas
- woda — water
Grammar note
'Po lodzie' and 'po wodzie' both use the locative of 'lód' and 'woda' after the preposition 'po', meaning 'on/over'.
Cultural context
Saint Barbara's day (4 December) is one of the most important weather-marker days in the Polish folk calendar. The goose-on-ice image is one of the most memorable and widely known Polish weather proverbs.
Beginner
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