Urszula jaka, cała zima taka
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What it means
“As Saint Ursula’s day is, so will the whole winter be.” The weather on 21 October (feast of Saint Ursula) predicts the character of the coming winter. A sunny Ursula means a mild winter; a cold one means a harsh winter.
Vocabulary
- Urszula — Ursula (saint's name, 21 October)
- jaki — what kind, as (correlative)
- cały — whole, entire
- zima — winter
- taki — such, so (correlative)
Grammar note
A correlative structure: 'jaki … taki …' (as … so …). Both adjectives agree with their respective nouns in gender and case.
Cultural context
Saint Ursula's feast day (21 October) is one of many name-day weather markers in the Polish folk calendar, used by farmers to anticipate the winter season.
Beginner
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