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Polish idiomatic expressions | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Specific Languages |  | |
| Homogenik Diglot Senior Member Canada Joined 4824 days ago 314 posts - 407 votes  Speaks: French*, English Studies: Polish, Mandarin | Message 1 of 12 02 October 2011 at 6:00pm | IP Logged | ||
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I'm trying to learn a few polish idiomatic expressions but I have trouble finding them online. I'm not looking for
proverbs but simple ordinary language expressions such as "prawdziwe rodzynki" (literally means "real raisins" but really means something "rare", "something of a rarity", as were raisins in the past). 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| H.Computatralis Triglot Senior Member Poland Joined 6304 days ago 130 posts - 210 votes Speaks: Polish*, French, English Studies: German, Spanish, Latin | Message 2 of 12 02 October 2011 at 8:16pm | IP Logged | ||
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Here are a couple off the top of my head:
czarno to widzę - I have a bad feeling about this trzymać kciuki - to wish someone luck być rozpuszczonym - to be spoiled (regarding people, children, etc) brakuje tylko dziada z babą - (colloq.) it's such a mess here być w gorącej wodzie kąpany - someone very hot tempered zamieniać się w słuch - to be all ears postawić wszystko na jedną kartę - to bet everything on a single thing być w czepku urodzonym - someone very lucky wilk w owczej skórze - something that appears better than it really is być psem na baby - (colloq.) to be a ladies' guy mieć dwie lewe ręce - someone clumsy owijać w bawełnę - to speak very diplomatically, in a politically correct way prosto z mostu - speaking without reserve, undiplomatically z deszczu pod rynnę - from bad to worse między młotem a kowadłem - having a choice between two bad options być jak pączek w maśle - to feel very well in a given situation być osowiałym - to be sad, without energy burza w szklance wody - a big fight that has not much influence on anything robić z igły widły - making a big fuss about something small bazgrać jak kura pazurem - (colloq.) to have a really bad handwriting mieć duszę na ramieniu - to be afraid of something słoń w składzie porcelany - someone clumsy trzymać język za zębami - to keep one's mouth shut rzucić okiem - to have a look wybierać się jak sójka za morze - when someone takes forever to get ready wziąć się w garść - to get one's act together nie mam żielonego pojęcia - I don't have a clue nie wywołuj wilka z lasu - don't wake the beast kupić kota w worku - to buy something without checking it beforehand, to write a blank check chodzić spać z kurami - to go to bed very early sęk w tym... - the problem is that... powietrze takie gęste że można siekierę powiesić - it stinks here There are probably hundreds more but it's hard to remember them like that. You just have to listen to a lot of Polish. Most of these idioms are rather colloquial but I have marked the ones that are more so, which should not be used in formal situations. PS: Sorry for the multiple edits. I keep remembering more. Edited by H.Computatralis on 02 October 2011 at 8:32pm 7 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| Homogenik Diglot Senior Member Canada Joined 4824 days ago 314 posts - 407 votes Speaks: French*, English Studies: Polish, Mandarin | Message 3 of 12 03 October 2011 at 12:25am | IP Logged | ||
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thank you so much! This is exactly what I was looking for :)
1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Vos Diglot Senior Member Australia Joined 5566 days ago 766 posts - 1020 votes Speaks: English*, Spanish Studies: Dutch, Polish | Message 4 of 12 03 October 2011 at 7:56am | IP Logged | ||
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Thanks heaps for that H.Computatralis. Very handy indeed! And these are all currently used in Poland by the
younger generations? Edited by Vos on 03 October 2011 at 8:11am 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| H.Computatralis Triglot Senior Member Poland Joined 6304 days ago 130 posts - 210 votes Speaks: Polish*, French, English Studies: German, Spanish, Latin | Message 5 of 12 03 October 2011 at 11:10am | IP Logged | ||
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I tried to avoid expressions that are too familiar or used only by some people, so these are mostly generation/social group-neutral and you would probably hear them quite often on the street or even in the media. As for usage, it's very hard to explain when an expression should or should not be used. You just have to listen to and read a lot of Polish until you get a feeling for them.
I'll try to give some example later when I have some free time. Edited by H.Computatralis on 03 October 2011 at 11:12am 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| pesahson Diglot Senior Member Poland Joined 5728 days ago 448 posts - 840 votes Speaks: Polish*, English Studies: French, Portuguese, Norwegian | Message 6 of 12 03 October 2011 at 11:58am | IP Logged | ||
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I tried to think of examples that I hear often so they’re not some obscure expressions. There’s a huge list here, unfortunately there are no English translations and there are some phrases that I’ve never heard anyone say, but it might come helpfull nevertheless. Anyway, here’s my two cents (moje trzy grosze):
Gadać głupoty; opowiadać głupoty; pleść trzy po trzy; gadać bez ładu i składu To talk gibberish (!!!) Zrobić kogoś w konia to trick someone (!!!) Uparty/uparta jak osioł very stubborn Przeżywać (jak mrówka okres) to get too emotional about sth; exaggarate; take something too seriously; a common phrase is „Ale przeżywasz!” (!!!) Rzucać słowa na wiatr to promise or to boast about something that might not happen at all Dzielić włos na czworo to over-analyse Drzeć koty (Oni darli koty, oni drą koty) to fight a lot Myśli, że pozjadał/pozjadała wszystkie rozumy He/she thinks they’re the smartest Czarna owca black sheep Bułka z masłem something very easy, (Ten egzamin to była bułka z masłem) (!!!) Bujać w obłokach to daydream too much Być kwita (jesteśmy kwita) To be even with someone (!!!) Być nie w sosie To be in a bad mood Co ma piernik do wiatraka? When someone uses an irrelavant argument you can ask „What has one to do with the other?” Coś leży na sercu; (Powiedz co Ci leży na sercu) To tell someone what is bothering you Coś tu nie gra There is something wrong here (!!!) Czytać między wierszami to read between the lines Dwoić się i troić Dawać z siebie wszystko (Daj z siebie wszystko!) to do the best one can (!!!) Działać komuś na nerwy (usually: Ona/on działa mi na nerwy) She/he irritates me (!!!) Fachowiec od siedmiu boleści istead of fachowiec you can name any profession and it indicates they’re not very good at what they do Gadka szmatka small talk Iść po linii najmniejszego oporu to do something the easiest way Kamień spadł komuś z serca to be relieved Kłamać jak z nut to lie effortlessly Marzenie ściętej głowy sth impossible to do, to achieve (!!!) Mieć coś gdzieś (Mam to gdzieś!) I don’t care! The vulgar version is to have sth in your ass (Mam to w dupie!) that’s what „gdzieś” stands for, more polite way is to say you have it in your nose (Mam to w nosie) (!!!) Mieć głowę na karku to be sensible All of these are commonly used by the old and the young. (!!!) those I think would be great to have in your active vocabulary, because you might use them more when talking then the others. But that's just my subjective opinion. Edited by pesahson on 03 October 2011 at 7:43pm 5 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| Mooby Senior Member Scotland Joined 6105 days ago 707 posts - 1220 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Polish | Message 7 of 12 03 October 2011 at 7:28pm | IP Logged | ||
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Some more:
Jak w czeskim filmie = 'Just like a Czech film' [i.e something completely incomprehensible] Raz na ruski rok = 'Once in a Russian year' [i.e a very rare event] 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| H.Computatralis Triglot Senior Member Poland Joined 6304 days ago 130 posts - 210 votes Speaks: Polish*, French, English Studies: German, Spanish, Latin | Message 8 of 12 03 October 2011 at 9:29pm | IP Logged | ||
That's a good one but be aware that the following does not mean the same as above: Mieć czegoś po dziurki w nosie - To be fed up with something, to have had enough You can also say: Mieć tego powyżej uszu And while were talking about vulgar expressions, you'll probably hear the following quite often: Po chuj? - What the f**k for? Po chuj ci ten samochód? - What the f**k do you need that car for? Po cholerę? - a slightly milder version of the above Nie ma chuja / Ni chuja - there's no way it's going to happen W pizdu - to go to hell Wszystko poszło w pizdu! - Everything went to hell! Of course you should never use those expressions unless you're at a very familiar level with the people you're talking to. Edited by H.Computatralis on 03 October 2011 at 9:32pm 2 persons have voted this message useful |
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