• Listen

  What it means

  “Playing hearts builds manners.” This rhyme jokes that playing cards, especially hearts, teaches good manners. It is usually said humorously.

  Vocabulary

  • gra — game, play
  • kiery — hearts (card suit)
  • wyrabiać — to develop, to build (habits)
  • maniery — manners

  Grammar note

  'Gra w kiery' uses 'w' with the accusative to name the game being played. 'Wyrabia' is the third-person singular present of 'wyrabiać'.

  Cultural context

  The rhyme (kiery / maniery) gives this saying its memorable quality. Card games were a staple of Polish social life.

  Intermediate

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