Od świętej Katarzyny nie wyganiaj już żywiny
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What it means
From Saint Catherine’s Day, 25 November, stop driving livestock out to pasture. This farming saying tells people to keep animals indoors for winter from then on.
Vocabulary
- święta — saint (feminine)
- Katarzyna — Catherine
- wyganiać — to drive out, to chase out
- żywina — livestock, cattle (archaic/regional)
Grammar note
'Nie wyganiaj' is a negative imperative. 'Żywiny' is the genitive of 'żywina', required after negation.
Cultural context
'Żywina' is an archaic or regional word for livestock. Saint Catherine's Day (25 November) marked the end of the outdoor grazing season in traditional Polish farming.
Intermediate
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