Strach ma wielkie oczy
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What it means
“Fear has big eyes.” When we are afraid, we exaggerate the danger — things seem far worse than they really are.
English equivalent
Fear has big eyes. / Fear makes the wolf bigger than he is.
Vocabulary
- strach — fear
- wielki — big, great
- oczy — eyes
Grammar note
'Wielkie oczy' is the accusative plural of 'wielkie oko'. 'Ma' is the third-person singular of 'mieć' (to have).
Cultural context
A very common Polish saying used to reassure someone who has worked themselves up over an imagined threat.
Beginner
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