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  What it means

  Literally “The wolf’s legs feed it.” A wolf survives by running — it must keep moving to hunt. Figuratively, people who want to succeed must stay active, keep hustling, and not wait passively for opportunities to come to them. It is a call to initiative and constant effort.

  English equivalent

  You have to hustle to survive. / The early bird catches the worm.

  Vocabulary

  • wilk — wolf
  • wilka — wolf's (genitive singular, indicating possession)
  • nogi — legs (nominative plural)
  • karmić — to feed, to nourish

  Grammar note

  Wilka is the genitive singular of wilk, used here as a possessive ('the wolf's legs'). Nogi is the nominative plural — it is the grammatical subject. Karmią is the 3rd-person plural present of karmić. The genitive-possessive construction at the start of the sentence is a classic feature of Polish proverbs.

  Cultural context

  The wolf is a strong, respected symbol in Polish folklore — not a villain as in some Western fairy tales, but a capable, independent hunter. The proverb is used to motivate someone who is being passive or waiting for luck, and is especially common in business and work contexts.

  Intermediate

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