• Listen

  What it means

  Literally, “The awl came out of the sack.” An awl is a sharp pointed tool, and its point will eventually pierce a bag. Figuratively, a hidden truth, secret, or a person’s true character will come to light. It is used when something concealed is finally revealed, often embarrassingly.

  English equivalent

  The cat is out of the bag. / The truth will out.

  Vocabulary

  • wyjść — to come out, to exit (perfective)
  • szydło — awl (a sharp, pointed cobbler's tool)
  • worek — sack, bag
  • worka — from the sack (genitive of worek after z)

  Grammar note

  Wyszło is the neuter singular past form of perfective wyjść, showing that the revelation has happened. Szydło is neuter, hence the -o ending. Z worka uses the genitive of worek after z (from or out of).

  Cultural context

  This is a very common, everyday expression used across all registers. Unlike 'the cat is out of the bag' (which is neutral), Polish speakers often use it with a tone of 'I knew this would happen' or mild schadenfreude. It can refer to secrets, lies, or hidden personality traits that finally surface.

  Intermediate

Noticed a typo, a wrong translation, or anything that doesn't look right? We'd love to fix it — just let us know via the contact page. Thank you!