• Listen

  What it means

  “Watch out, cat, it’s about you.” A warning to someone who does not realise they are the subject of a conversation or situation. It alerts them that they are being discussed or that the matter concerns them directly.

  English equivalent

  Talk of the devil.

  Vocabulary

  • wara — beware, watch out (archaic exclamation)
  • kot — cat
  • iść o kogoś — to be about someone, to concern someone
  • cię — you (archaic/poetic accusative of ty)

  Grammar note

  'Wara' is an archaic imperative-like exclamation. 'Idzie o cię' uses the archaic accusative 'cię' instead of modern 'ciebie'; 'iść o kogoś' means 'to be at stake for someone'.

  Cultural context

  An old proverb using the cat as a stand-in for a person who doesn't realise they are the subject of discussion.

  Advanced

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