Polish proverbs and sayings are a reflection of the culture and history of the Polish people. They are often wise, poetic, and humorous. In this blog post, we will explore 21 of the most popular Polish proverbs and their meanings. These proverbs offer insights into Polish culture and traditions, as well as the wisdom of the Polish people. Enjoy!
Table of Contents
1. Nie dziel skóry na niedźwiedziu
Translation: “Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched.”
Meaning: Don’t make assumptions about something before it happens.
This proverb is a warning not to get ahead of oneself, as things may not go as planned. It is often used when referring to the future, for example, “Don’t book your tickets until the election is over – you never know what might happen.”
Write more examples of Polish proverbs, their literal English translations, their meanings and examples of their use.
2. Ucz się na błędach
Translation: “Learn from your mistakes.”
Meaning: Make sure you learn from your mistakes so that you don’t make them again.
This proverb is a reminder that it is important to learn from our mistakes, so we don’t repeat them in the future. It is often used when someone has failed or made a mistake, for example, “I’m sorry I forgot your birthday – I’ll make sure to learn from my mistake and not forget next year.”
3. Lepiej zapobiegać niż leczyć
Translation: “It is better to prevent than to cure.”
Meaning: It is better to take precautions and prevent something from happening, than to try and fix it after the fact.
This proverb is a reminder that it is always easier and cheaper to prevent something from happening than to try and fix it afterwards. It is often used in business or when making financial decisions, for example, “It’s going to cost more to repair this car than it would to buy a new one – so it’s better to prevention.”
4. Będzie, będzie
Translation: “There will be, there will be.”
Meaning: Things will happen in their own time.
This proverb is a reassurance that whatever is meant to be will happen in its own time. It is often used to calm someone who is worried or anxious about the future. For example, “Don’t worry – everything will work out in the end. Będzie, będzie.”
5. Mądry Polak po szkodzie
Translation: “A wise Pole after the damage is done.”
Meaning: Being wise after the event.
This proverb is a reminder that it is often too late to take corrective action after something has gone wrong. It is often used when referring to making mistakes, for example, “I wish I had known about the problem sooner – but now it’s too late to do anything.”
6. Zęby zażarta ryba morska
Translation: “A fierce fish with sharp teeth.”
Meaning: A fierce person is someone who is not afraid to fight or stand up for themselves.
This proverb describes a person who is tough and can handle themselves in a fight. It is often used to describe someone who is not afraid of anyone or anything. For example, “He’s a fierce fish with sharp teeth – you don’t want to mess with him.”
7. Jak cię widzą, tak cię piszą
Translation: “How you are seen is how you will be written about.”
Meaning: People will often judge you by the way you look or dress.
This proverb is a reminder that people often make judgments about others based on their appearance. It is often used when referring to first impressions, for example, “Don’t wear your pajamas to the interview – they’ll think you’re not serious.”
Write more examples of Polish proverbs, their literal English translations, their meanings and examples of their use.
8. “Nie zawsze jest take’s, jak się planuje” –
Translation: “It’s not always as it planned”
Meaning: Things don’t always go according to plan.
This proverb is often used when something unexpected happens, for example, “I was going to get a taxi, but then it started raining so I decided to walk – and I got lost.” It is a reminder that things don’t always go the way we want them to and we should be prepared for anything.
9. Nie od razu koniec świata
Translation: “It’s not the end of the world.”
Meaning: This is a phrase used to comfort someone who has had a bad experience or who is upset. It means that whatever has happened is not the end of the world and that things will eventually get better.
For example, “I failed my driving test – but it’s not the end of the world. I’ll just have to study more for the next one.”
10. “Nie ma tego złego, co by na dobre nie wyszło”
Translation: “There’s no such thing as bad luck, only good luck.”
Meaning: This proverb is a reminder that something bad that has happened might have actually been good for us. It means that we should never give up because something bad has happened to us.
For example, “I lost my job, but I’m going to start my own business now. Nie ma tego złego, co by na dobre nie wyszło.”
11. Bądź ostrożny jak paw
Translation: “Be careful like a hawk.”
Meaning: Be very careful.
This proverb is often used when caution is required, for example, “Be careful when crossing the road.”
12. Mądry Polak potrafi przez żelazo przejść
Translation: “A wise Pole can pass through iron.”
Meaning: Be resilient/courageous.
This proverb is often used when referring to someone who has a strong character, for example, “He was able to overcome the obstacles and it made him stronger.” It means that this person is not afraid of anything and can handle any situation.
13. “Zły początek z gorszym koniec”
Translation: “A bad beginning leads to a worse ending.”
Meaning: This proverb is a reminder that if we start something off badly, it is likely to end badly too. It often refers to making mistakes, for example, “If you don’t study for the test, you’re going to get a bad grade – and it will be hard to improve from there.”
14. “Bóg nie da się oszukać, ale człowiek może się podawać”
Translation: “God cannot be fooled, but Man can pretend.”
Meaning: This proverb is a reminder that we should never try to deceive God because He knows everything. However, it is okay to deceive other people because they don’t know everything.
For example, “I told my parents I was studying for the test when I was actually watching TV – but they didn’t know that.”
15. “Wystarczy jeden pies”
Translation: “One dog is enough.”
Meaning: There’s no need for more than one.
This proverb is often used when referring to dogs, for example, “I don’t need another dog – I have enough.” It can also be used when talking about other things, for example, “I only need one knife to chop up the vegetables.”
16. “Idzie jak po maśle”
Translation: “He’s going like butter.”
Meaning: He’s going very well/smoothly.
This proverb is often used when referring to someone who is doing something very easily or smoothly, for example, “The project is going really well – he’s going like butter.” It can also be used when referring to someone who is very fast, for example, “She ran across the room and went like butter.”
17. “Kto rano wstaje, ten długo żyje”
Translation: “He who rises early lives long.”
Meaning: This proverb is a reminder that if we wake up early, we’ll have more time to do things. It means that waking up early is the key to a long life.
For example, “I try to get up at six every morning so I can have plenty of time to work on my projects.”
18. “Czego Jaś nie zje, tego Jan nie będzie chciał”
Translation: “What Jan doesn’t want, Jack won’t want either.”
Meaning: This proverb is a reminder that we should never do something just because someone else wants us to. It means that we should only do things that we really want to do.
For example, “I don’t want to go to the party – you can go without me.”
19. “Nie ma tego złego, co by na dobre nie wyszło”
Translation: “There’s no such thing as bad luck, it might have turned out for the best.”
Meaning: This proverb is a reminder that even though something bad happened, it might have been for the best in the end. It often refers to unlucky events that turn out well, for example, “I got into a car accident on my way to work, but it turns out that I was late and missed my meeting.”
20. “Wszystko złego, co się dzieje, dobrze się kończy”
Translation: “Everything bad that happens ends up being good.”
This proverb is a reminder that no matter how bad things seem at the moment, they will eventually get better. It often refers to difficult situations that have a happy ending, for example, “He was going through a divorce and he thought it was the worst thing that could ever happen to him, but now he’s glad it’s over.”
21. “Mądry Polak po szkodzie”
Translation: “A wise Pole after a mistake.”
Meaning: This proverb is a reminder that we can learn from our mistakes. It means that even though we might have made a mistake, we can still learn from it and make things better.
For example, “I tried to fix the computer by myself and I broke it – but now I know not to try that again.”
