How You Say?

On/Ona leje wodę!

English Phonemes: “nyeh lej VOH-d[ę]”

Literal Translation: He/She pours water!

Elegant Translation: He/She is pouring water!

English Equivalent: To waffle. To be noncommittal. 

When a person speaks without substance, they water down the point, they waffle, they avoid a definitive statements, they give evasive answers to questions, this phrase is perfect to call them out on it. Best applied to politicians and writers. :-)

On/Ona = He/She [noun, masc./fem., s. subj. form]
Leje = he/she/it pours [verb, 3rd p. s., present tense]
Wodę = water [noun, f. s. obj. form]

*** If you want the “they” (plural) version of this phrase, it’s “Oni leją wodę.”

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Gdy kota nie ma, myszy harcują.

English Phonemes: “gdih KOH-tah nyeh mah MIH-[sz]ih har-TSOO-y[ą]”

Literal Translation: When cat not has, mice are playing.

Elegant Translation: When there is no cat, the mice play.

English Equivalent: When the cat's away, the mice are at play.

This is a popular phrase. It means that when the authority figure is out, the subordinates break the rules. It’s most commonly used in Polish when parents step out to run errands and their kids make mischief in their absence.

Gdy = when, if, as
Kota = cat [noun, masc. s. obj. form]
Nie = no, not
Ma = he/she/it has [verb, 3rd. p. s., present tense]
Myszy = mice [noun, pl. f. subj. form]
Harcują = they are playing, frolicking, prancing [verb, 3rd. p. pl., present tense]

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Śmieje się jak głupi do sera!

English Phonemes: “SHMYEH-yeh shyeh yahk GWOO-pee doh SEH-rah”

Literal Translation: He/She/It laughs itself how idiot to cheese!

Elegant Translation: He/She/It laughs like an idiot to cheese!

English Equivalent: To laugh inappropriately.

This is a great saying for a situation where someone laughs without a good reason. Either they don’t know what’s going on, they feel awkward, they feel nervous, or a myriad of other scenarios. The end result being that they laugh without a reason. They look and sound bonkers. 

Extra bonus usage case: If you find yourself in a scenario where someone says “Say cheese” before taking a picture, your sweet come-back could be “jak głupi do sera” and I guarantee any Polish speakers in the group will laugh outright. :-)

Śmieje = he/she/it laughs or is laughing [verb, 3rd p. s., present tense]
Się = himself/herself/itself [reflective helper word]
Jak = how, like
Głupi = idiot, stupid person [noun, masc. s. subj. form]
Do = to [preposition]
Sera = cheese [noun, masc. s. obj. form]

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Robimy dobrą minę do złej gry.

English Phonemes: “roh-BEE-mih DOHB-r[ą] MEE-n[ę] doh zwehy grih”

Literal Translation: We are making good face to bad game.

Elegant Translation: We are putting on a good face for a bad game.

English Equivalent: Grin and bear it.

This is a nice way to say “put on a brave face” or “grin and bear it” or even “put on a Poker face”. You can use today’s Polish saying the same way.

In terms of grammar usage, you can manipulate the verb to make it singular or speak in the third person, but I figured the “we” conjugation would be a good catch-all for the average listener, since, you can use it in the most situations, and who doesn’t like a bit of empathy?

Robimy = we are making [v., 1st person plural, present tense]
Dobrą = good [adj. f. s. obj. form]
Minę = face, facial expression [n. f. obj. form]
Do = to, for [directional preposition]
Złej = bad [adj. s. f. obj. form]
Gry = game [n. s. f. obj. form]

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W Sam Akurat!

English Phonemes: “v sahm ah-KOO-raht”

Literal Translation: In alone exactly.

Elegant Translation: Exactly right.

English Equivalent: Nailed it. 

This is a neat little way to say that you did something, or something happened, exactly and perfectly so. 

Think of the literal translation as meaning “in the one and only perfect spot!” 

The best way to think about this phrase’s usage is that you can say this in any situation you would use the word “perfectly” in English. So, you arrived home perfectly in time for dinner. Or you spiced your favorite dish perfectly. Or you delivered your prepared monologue perfectly, exactly the way you wanted. 

This sentence can stand on its own, or be part of any bigger sentence. Up to you and your comfort level.

Enjoy!

W = in [preposition]
Sam = alone [s. masc. adj., obj. form]
Akurat = exactly [adv.]

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Jak kto głupi, to aż miło!!!

English Phonemes: “yahk ktoh GWOO-pee toh ah[sz] MEE-woh”

Literal Translation: If who stupid, then until nice.

Elegant Translation: When someone’s stupid, then it’s nice.

English Equivalent: Not the sharpest tool in the shed.

This is an old and strange saying which means nothing like what the words actually say. The literal meaning paints a lovely picture of a stupid person obliviously and joyfully romping through their existence. But the meaning of the idiom is more direct: you’re actually saying “you are so dense, you don’t even notice what every basic idiot sees.” If you use this, don’t forget the sarcasm!

This saying is falling out of common language nowadays. A lot of Polish speakers out there might actually use it incorrectly. How nice is it that you have a leg up?

(Also, the word “is” is understood!)

Jak = if, when, how 
Kto = who (but it’s actually shortened slang from “ktoś” meaning “someone”) [s. n. subj. form]
Głupi = stupid [adj. m. subj. form]
To = then
Aż = until, to the point of (also sometimes used as accenting word)
Miło = nice, pleasant [adj. s. neutral subj. form]

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Powiem prosto z mostu!

English Phonemes: “POH-wyehm PROHS-toh z MOHS-too”

Literal Translation: I will tell straight from bridge.

Elegant Translation: I will tell it straight from the bridge.

English Equivalent: To speak bluntly. 

When a Polish person tells you something outright, they speak straight from the bridge. A great turn of phrase to use when you’re about to say something without beating about the bush.

Powiem = I will tell/say/speak [1st p. s., verb, future tense, gender agnostic]
Prosto = straight [adj. used as a direction]
Z = from [preposition]
Mostu = bridge [noun, s. neutral, obj. form]

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Co, myślisz o niebieskich migdałach?

English Phonemes: “tsoh MISH-lee[sz] oh nyeh-BYEHS-keeh meeg-DAHW-ahh”

Literal Translation: What, you are thinking about blue almonds?

Elegant Translation: What, are you thinking about blue almonds?

English Equivalent: To have your head in the clouds.

Polish people don’t daydream, they think about blue almonds! This phrase is perfect if you’re talking to a Polish speaker and they get that Thousand Mile Stare in the middle of a sentence. Also a useful phrase to use if someone is proposing an idea that is truly undoable or fantastical.

Co = what
Myślisz = you are thinking [2nd p. s., present tense, informal]
O = about, of [preposition]
Niebieskich = blue [f. pl. adj., obj. form]
Migdałach = almonds, tonsils [f. pl. n., obj. form]

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Ale naważyłem/naważyłam piwa!

English Phonemes: “AH-leh nah-vah-[Ż]IH-wehm(wahm) PEE-vah”

Literal Translation: Oh how I brewed beer!

Elegant Translation: Wow, did I brew some beer!

English Equivalent: Mess things up.

This is a funny way to say you messed things up. Other analogous English phrases include “poked the bear” or “stepped in it”. The phrase is a bit old, but it’s still very much in use!

This is very similar to Episode 91, from last year, where we learned “Ale narobiłem/narobiłam bigosu!” meaning Wow, did I make the cabbage stew! That lesson’s phrase is very similar in meaning. Give it a listen!

Ale = how, what, but [interjection word]
Naważyłem/Naważyłam = I brewed [1st p. s., past. Use ‘-em’ if you are male, ‘-am’ if you are female]
Piwa = beer [s. obj. form of ‘piwo’]

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Szukać dziury w całym.

English Phonemes: “[SZ]OO-kahch JYOO-rih v TSAH-wihm”

Literal Translation: To look for hole in whole.

Elegant Translation: To look for a hole in the whole.

English Equivalent: Nit-pick. Fault-find. 

This phrase is used to say someone is looking for flaws where there are none. 

I’ll discuss in this episode how you can modify this phrase to better fit your situation, but in essence, you can use this phrase as-is anywhere and be completely correct. 

Enjoy!

Szukać = to look for, to seek [infinitive of the verb]
Dziury = a hole [s. f. obj. form]
W = in, inside of [preposition]
Całym = a whole [masc. s. obj. form]

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