• Listen

  What it means

  Literally “there is no rose without thorns.” The proverb conveys that nothing truly beautiful or valuable comes without some difficulty, drawback, or pain attached to it. It is used to counsel patience and acceptance when good things come with complications — a wonderful relationship, a rewarding job, or a great opportunity that also demands sacrifice. The tone is resigned but not bitter.

  English equivalent

  Every rose has its thorn.

  Vocabulary

  • nie ma — there is no / there are no (negated existential construction)
  • róży — rose (genitive singular of róża, required after nie ma)
  • bez — without (preposition governing genitive)
  • kolców — thorns (genitive plural of kolec)

  Grammar note

  Nie ma (there is no) always triggers the genitive case on its subject: róży instead of róża. The preposition bez (without) also governs the genitive: kolców instead of kolce. This double genitive usage — one from negation, one from a preposition — is a common and instructive pattern in Polish.

  Cultural context

  The rose is a universal symbol of beauty and love, and this proverb appears in many European languages in nearly identical form. In Polish it is used across all registers — in love, work, and general philosophy. It can soften criticism ('yes, this relationship is hard, but nie ma róży bez kolców') or explain why a seemingly perfect situation still carries costs.

  Beginner

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!