Gdy na Wawrzyńca orzechy obrodzą, to w zimie mrozy dogodzą
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What it means
“When hazelnuts are plentiful on Saint Lawrence’s day, the frosts in winter will be satisfying.” A good nut harvest on 10 August predicts a proper, cold winter — which was considered beneficial for the soil and the following year’s crops.
Vocabulary
- orzech — nut, hazelnut
- obrodzić — to yield abundantly, to be plentiful
- mróz — frost
- dogodzić — to satisfy, to suit
Grammar note
'Obrodzą' and 'dogodzą' are both perfective future forms. 'W zimie' is the locative of 'zima'.
Cultural context
Saint Lawrence (Wawrzyniec) is celebrated on 10 August. Nut harvests were a traditional indicator of the coming winter's character in Polish rural life.
Intermediate
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