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  What it means

  Literally: “Whoever scolds someone should give a good example themselves.” The proverb means that before criticizing others, you must first set a proper example through your own behavior. It is a call for consistency between words and actions, and a rebuke of hypocrisy. Poles use it to call out those who lecture or blame others while failing to live up to their own standards.

  English equivalent

  Practice what you preach.

  Vocabulary

  • kto — whoever, who
  • łać / łajać — to scold, to rebuke, to tell off
  • niech — let (him/her/it) — used to form third-person imperatives
  • przykład — example, model
  • dawać przykład — to set an example

  Grammar note

  'Niech' + third-person verb forms a soft imperative in Polish: 'niech sam przykład daje' means 'let them give the example themselves'. The word 'sam' (himself/herself) adds emphasis — it is the critic, not someone else, who must act first. 'Łaje' is third-person singular present of the imperfective verb 'łajać', indicating habitual scolding.

  Cultural context

  This proverb is used in everyday speech across Poland when someone is seen as a hypocrite — a parent who forbids sweets while eating them, a politician who preaches austerity while living lavishly, or a boss who demands punctuality and arrives late. The tone is pointed but not vulgar; it is suitable in both casual and semi-formal contexts.

  Intermediate

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