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  What it means

  Literally, “One mother will raise ten sons, but ten sons cannot feed one mother.” The proverb captures the asymmetry of a mother’s love: selfless, unconditional, and seemingly boundless in one direction. At the same time it gently reproaches adult children who neglect their ageing mothers despite having benefited from her sacrifice. Poles cite it in conversations about family duty, gratitude, and elder care.

  English equivalent

  A mother can take care of ten children, but ten children cannot take care of one mother.

  Vocabulary

  • matka — mother
  • wychowa — will raise, will bring up (future perfective of wychować)
  • synów — sons (genitive plural of syn, required after the numeral dziesięć)
  • żywić — to feed, to support financially (imperfective infinitive)
  • mogą — can, are able to (3rd person plural of móc)
  • jednej matki — of one mother (genitive singular — subject of a negated ability)

  Grammar note

  The verb wychowa is the future tense of wychować (perfective aspect), while żywić is the imperfective infinitive in the negative clause 'nie mogą żywić.' The contrast between a single completed act of raising and the ongoing inability to feed encodes verb aspect. Synów is genitive plural, required after the numeral dziesięć.

  Cultural context

  This is one of the most emotionally resonant proverbs in Polish culture, where the image of the devoted, self-sacrificing matka is deeply embedded. It surfaces in conversations about elder care, especially as Poland grapples with an ageing population and changing family structures. The tone is earnest and reflective, never ironic.

  Intermediate

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