Nawet szubienica milsza w towarzystwie
Listen
What it means
Literally, “Even the gallows is more pleasant in company.” It says that a hard time, even death, can feel easier when it is shared. People use it as dark humour when they join others in an unpleasant task or face a bad situation together.
English equivalent
Misery loves company.
Vocabulary
- nawet — even
- szubienica — gallows, gibbet
- milsza — more pleasant, sweeter (feminine comparative form of 'miły')
- w towarzystwie — in company, among others ('towarzystwo' = company/society, locative case)
Grammar note
'Milsza' is the feminine comparative adjective agreeing with 'szubienica' (gallows, feminine noun). The prepositional phrase 'w towarzystwie' uses the locative case of 'towarzystwo.' The structure is a simple predicate: subject + adjective complement + prepositional modifier.
Cultural context
The saying belongs to Polish czarny humor, or black humour. Friends may use it informally and self-mockingly when facing an unpleasant task together. It does not fit a formal setting.
Advanced
Noticed a typo, a wrong translation, or anything that doesn't look right? We'd love to fix it — just let us know via the contact page. Thank you!
More Polish proverbs
- "A stepmother, even if made of sugar, is always bitter." However kind she may be, a stepmother may …
- "For a wise head, two words are enough." A clever person needs only a short hint to understand. Long …
- "A Pole is wise after the damage is done." Poles, or people in general, often learn from mistakes …
- "The wise will accept advice; the fool will reject it with scorn." Wise people listen to advice, …