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  What it means

  Literally, “Hope is the mother of fools.” It warns against blind hope. If someone waits for luck instead of acting or thinking clearly, they may make foolish choices. People say it when they want to cut through wishful thinking or urge a more realistic plan.

  English equivalent

  Hope is the fool's income.

  Vocabulary

  • nadzieja — hope
  • głupi — foolish, stupid; 'głupich' = of fools (genitive plural)
  • matka — mother

  Grammar note

  The proverb uses a nominal sentence (no verb 'jest' expressed) ; 'Nadzieja [jest] głupich matką' with 'matką' in the instrumental case, typical for nominal predicates in Polish. 'Głupich' is the genitive plural of the substantivised adjective 'głupi' (fools), functioning as a possessive: 'the mother of fools'.

  Cultural context

  This is one of the more cynical Polish sayings. It favours practical effort over passive optimism and can come up in talk about work, politics, or personal plans. Its tone is blunt but usually conversational.

  Intermediate

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