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  What it means

  “Candlemas is the midpoint of winter.” The feast on 2 February marks winter’s halfway point. After it, people traditionally expect the worst cold to be over.

  English equivalent

  If Candlemas be fair and bright, winter has another flight.

  Vocabulary

  • gromnica — Candlemas (February 2nd); also the candle blessed on that day
  • zima — winter
  • połowica — half, midpoint

  Grammar note

  A nominal sentence. 'Zimy' is the genitive of 'zima', used here in a partitive/possessive sense ('the midpoint of winter').

  Cultural context

  Candlemas (Święto Matki Bożej Gromnicznej) is an important Catholic feast in Poland. The blessed candle (gromnica) was lit during storms to ward off lightning.

  Intermediate

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