• Listen

  What it means

  Literally “Work gilds [you].” The verb ‘pozłacać’ means to gild — to cover something in gold — so the proverb says that hard work coats you in gold, meaning it brings prosperity and enrichment. It is a compact, motivational saying that encourages diligence by promising that effort will be rewarded. You’ll hear it from parents, teachers, or employers nudging someone to stop procrastinating and get to work.

  English equivalent

  Hard work pays off / Work ennobles.

  Vocabulary

  • praca — work, labour; feminine nominative singular
  • pozłaca — gilds, enriches; 3rd person singular present of pozłacać (to gild, to cover in gold)

  Grammar note

  The subject is 'praca' (work) and the verb is 'pozłaca' (gilds). The object — the person being enriched — is implied rather than stated, which is typical of elliptical Polish proverbs. 'Pozłacać' is an imperfective verb; using a perfective ('pozłocić') would imply a completed gilding rather than an ongoing process.

  Cultural context

  Neutral register, one of the most commonly heard motivational proverbs in Polish. Reflects the traditional Polish value of hard work as the path to prosperity. Often used by parents and grandparents encouraging children to study or work diligently. The gilding metaphor evokes the image of labour literally making you shine.

  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!