As pretty much all languages, Polish has its own phrases that are just not that easy to translate into English…And the translation can not always easily convey the funny or sarcastic meaning of the sentence.

I’m sure if you grew up in Poland, you have heard something like this (especially as a child):

“Zacznij odrabiać lekcje zamiast myśleć o niebieskich migdałach!” – Start doing your homework instead of thinking of blue almonds!

Well…is thinking about blue almonds so bad? This expression in Polish means “to daydream”. You will hear it usually when you are supposed to do something and you are distracted or when you forgot to do something. I personally think that thinking about blue almonds is good for you!!!

There are plenty of phrases like that in Polish! Let’s mention few that are the most popular:)

“Chodzić na rzęsach” – To walk on eyelashes  – it describes a very drunk or hangover person

“Mówić prosto z mostu” – To tell something straight from the bridge – to tell it how it is or to be blunt

“Owijać prawdę w bawełnę” – To wrap the truth in cotton – it is used when someone is lying or “beating around the bush” about something

“Być nie w sosie” – To not be in the sauce – to be in a bad mood

“Bułka z masłem” – A roll with butter – something easy, just like “piece of cake”

“Narobić bigosu” – To make bigos – to mess something up

“Nawarzyć piwa” – To brew a beer – to mess something up, to make a mess

“Po ptakach” – After the birds – It is used when it’s too late for something and nothing can be done (for example when you wanted to buy something and now it’s sold out)

“Pozjadać wszystkie rozumy” – To eat all the wits – It is a sarcastic way to talk about someone who is a know-it-all

“Wypchaj się sianem” – To stuff yourself with hay – To tell someone to get lost, leave you alone

“Rzucać grochem o ścianę” – To throw beans at the wall – to try to explain something to someone who doesn’t understand you and doesn’t see things your way

“Czuć miętę do kogoś” – To smell mint from someone – to have a crush on someone or be attracted to someone

“Dzielić skórę na niedźwiedziu” – To divide skin on a bear – “Don’t count the chickens before they hatch”

“Brać nogi za pas” – To take your legs under your belt – to hurry up, to run away from something

“Wziąć coś na ząb” – To take something on a tooth – to snack on something

“Szukać dziury w całym” – Looking for a hole in a whole – to be nit-picky

“Urwać się z choinki” – To fall from a Christmas Tree – to be uninformed, unaware of something obvious

“Robić dobrą minę do złej gry” – Put up a good face to a bad game – Grin and bear it

“Uciekać gdzie pieprz rośnie” – To run where the pepper grows – “Run like hell”, run as fast as you can

“Porywać się z motyką na słońce” – Jump at sun with a hoe – trying to do more than possible

 

Pretty interesting, right?