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  What it means

  Literally, “The wolf kills for food, man kills for fun.” The proverb contrasts animal need with human cruelty. A wolf kills to survive, while people may harm others for pleasure. It is used when speaking about senseless violence or destruction.

  English equivalent

  Man is wolf to man (related concept, though different emphasis)

  Vocabulary

  • wilk — wolf (nominative singular)
  • morduje — kills, murders (third person singular present of 'mordować')
  • dla strawy — for food, for sustenance ('strawa' = food/nourishment, genitive case after 'dla')
  • dla zabawy — for fun, for entertainment ('zabawa' = fun/amusement, genitive after 'dla')

  Grammar note

  The preposition 'dla' (for) takes the genitive, so 'strawa' and 'zabawa' become 'strawy' and 'zabawy.' The line uses the same structure for 'wilk' and 'człowiek' to show their different motives.

  Cultural context

  This is a dark, literary proverb rather than an everyday phrase. It can appear in essays or comments on violent news. The Latin saying 'homo homini lupus' (man is a wolf to man) has a related idea.

  Intermediate

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