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  What it means

  Literally “as the fatherhood, so the obedience.” The proverb warns that a father’s conduct sets the tone for how his children behave — if he is consistent and engaged, the children learn to be respectful; if he is absent or erratic, they follow that example instead. Poles use this to assign moral responsibility to parents rather than to blame children outright. It surfaces in discussions about upbringing, family values, and education.

  English equivalent

  Like father, like son.

  Vocabulary

  • jakie — what kind of, such (neuter correlative — opening half)
  • ojcostwo — fatherhood, paternity (neuter noun)
  • takie — such, so (neuter correlative — answering half)
  • posłuszeństwo — obedience, compliance (neuter noun)

  Grammar note

  The structure 'jakie… takie…' is a correlative pair meaning 'as X, so Y.' Both nouns — ojcostwo and posłuszeństwo — are neuter gender in the nominative case, which is why the correlative adjectives jakie/takie also take neuter forms. No finite verb appears; the sentence is a nominal clause, a register typical of Polish proverbs.

  Cultural context

  This proverb places the moral weight specifically on the father, reflecting the historically patriarchal structure of Polish families. In modern usage the scope has broadened to include parents in general. The register is neutral to formal, and it appears in parenting discussions, educational writing, and family conversations across generations.

  Intermediate

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