How You Say?

Nie mam sumienia.

English Phonemes: “nyeh mahm soo-MYEH-nyah”

Literal Translation: Not I have conscience.

Elegant Translation: I don’t have the conscience.

English Equivalent: I can’t in good conscience.

This phrase is used when you’re faced with a moral dilemma. A crisis of conscience. You want the last slice of pizza, but you see that 10 year old Molly wants it, too, and you just don’t have it in you to take it. You “don’t have the heart” to take it, as it were.

This phrase is perfect for those situations. When you have the option to do something selfish or naughty, but your better angels take over and you just don’t have enough evil in you to act on that compulsion. It’s a good thing!

Keying off from last week, if you say that “tamten nie ma sumienia“, you are actually saying they have no conscience. In other words, that they sided with the devil on their shoulder. But here, when you are speaking in the first person, you actually mean that you sided with the angel on your shoulder. You can use this phrase to mean that you have no conscience (like “dust” is its own antonym) but it is less common to use it this way.

So, back to the Molly and the pizza example, if you took that last slice, you could follow it up with this phrase. (But don’t be surprised if folks don’t want to be friends with you after pulling a move like that.)

Anyway, it’s a neat little phrase with lots of texture and meaning.

Enjoy!

Nie = not, no [negates whatever comes next]
Mam = I have [1st p. s.]
Sumienia = conscience [s. obj. form]

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Tamten/tamta jest bez sumienia.

English Phonemes: “TAHM-ten/TAHM-tah nyeh mah soo-MYEH-nyah”

Literal Translation: That one is without conscience.

Elegant Translation: That person has no conscience. 

English Equivalent: They are without conscience.

This is a nice phrase to use to call out that someone did something unconscionable. The words tamten and tamta both mean that (tam) this (ten or ta), but it’s based on the gender of the person you are referring to. (See notes below.)

You can use it as a joke or in serious situations. Your call.

Enjoy!

Tamten/Tamta = that-this (that one) [s. masc./fem., subj. form]
Jest = he/she/it is [3rd. p. s.]
Bez = without [preposition]
Sumienia = conscience [s. obj. form]

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Nie owijaj prawdę w bawełnę.

English Phonemes: “nyeh oh-VEE-yahy PRAHV-deh v bah-VEHW-neh”

Literal Translation: Not wrap up truth in cotton.

Elegant Translation: Don’t wrap the truth in cotton.

English Equivalent: Don’t beat around the bush.

This is a fun phrase to ask someone to get to the point. Please note that this is informal phrasing, so be aware of whom you use this with. 

Enjoy!

Nie = not, no [negates whatever comes next]
Owijaj = wrap up [s. informal imperative]
Prawdę = truth [s. f. obj. form]
W = in [preposition]
Bawełnę = cotton [s. f. obj. form]

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Czapka za kapelusz. 

English Phonemes: “[CZ]AHP-kah zah kah-PEH-loo[sz]”

Literal Translation: Cap for hat.

Elegant Translation: A cap for a hat.

English Equivalent: Six of one, half a dozen of another.

This funny phrase is used exactly the same way as “six of one, half a dozen of the other” is in English. Enjoy!

Czapka = cap, hat, toque [noun, s. f. subj. form]
Za = for [preposition]
Kapelusz = hat, usually only a hat with a brim [noun, s. masc. subj. form]

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Wezmę coś na ząb.

English Phonemes: “VEHZ-meh tsohsh nah z[ą]b”

Literal Translation: I will take something on tooth.

Elegant Translation: I will take something on the tooth.

English Equivalent: I will nibble something.

Here’s a cute phrase for when you are feeling hungry. You could also say that you want something “on the tooth” or “for the tooth” and it conveys the same meaning. It’s slang for wanting to eat something. Usually in the sense of wanting a snack, in passing, although you can use it to indicate hunger for a meal, and you’ll be understood.

Wezmę = I will take [1st p. s. verb, future tense]
Coś = something
Na = on [preposition]
Ząb = tooth [noun, s. obj. form]

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O ty skubańcu! 

English Phonemes: “oh tih skooh-BA[Ń]-tsooh”

Literal Translation: Oh you pecker!

English Equivalent: Hen pecker!

This is a gentle ribbing way to call someone out for being annoying, or even mischievous and sneaky. It is even sometimes used as a euphemism if you want to avoid using naughty grown-up words.

O = oh
Ty = you [noun, subj. form, informal]
Skubańcu = pecker, pincher, picker - one who does the pinching/pecking/picking [vocative singular form of the noun]

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Kiedy pies szczeka to nie gryzie.

English Phonemes: “KYEH-dih pyehs [SZ][CZ]EH-kah toh nyeh GRIH-[ź]yeh”

Literal Translation: When dog barks then not bites.

Elegant Translation: When a dog is barking, it’s not biting.

This is a funny phrase to say that that if someone is busy being loud, they don’t have time or energy to do much else. Including thinking, listening, hitting, anything. Wise words!

Kiedy = when
Pies = dog [s. masc. noun, subj. form]
Szczeka = he/she/it barks or is barking [3rd. p. sing. verb, present tense]
To = then, this [depending on context]
Nie = not, no [negates whatever comes after]
Gryzie = he/she/it bites or is biting [3rd. p. sing. verb, present tense]

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Przypomniała sobie babka dziewiczy wieczór.

English Phonemes: “p[sz]ih-poh-MNYAH-wah SOH-byeh BAHB-kah jyeh-VEECZ-ih VYEH-[cz]oor”

Literal Translation: She remembered herself grandmother virgin evening.

Elegant Translation: The grandmother remembered the virgin evening.

English Equivalent: You’ve outgrown something.

A “virgin evening” is the literal translation for a bachelorette party. Or a “hen do” for our British and Australian listeners.

This phrase is meant to joke about how a grandmother who has years of life experience and should know better, is suddenly regressing to a younger and more foolish time in her life. You use this phrase when someone says something silly or immature in conversation. 

Enjoy!

Przypomniała = he/she/it remembered [verb, 3rd p. s., past]
Sobie = (to) him/her/itself [reflective helper word, obj. form]
Babka = old woman, grandmother [n. fem. s. subj. form, diminutive] 
Dziewiczy = young woman, virgin [s. masc. adj. obj. form]
Wieczór = evening [s. masc. noun, obj. form]

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Pod żadnym pozorem.

English Phonemes: “pohd [Ż]AHD-nihm poh-ZOH-rehm”

Literal Translation: Under no pretext.

Elegant Translation: Under no pretense.

English Equivalent: Under no circumstances.

This is a handy phrase to know. I used it earlier when my little one asked to walk the balance beam on the handrail between us and the river. You’ll hear many a Polish parent use this one with their kids to definitively squash a bad idea. I opened my mouth and my mother came out, so I had to share this with you all this week.

“Over my dead body” is another great English equivalent. 

Enjoy!

Pod = under [preposition]
Żadnym = no, any [adj. masc. sing. obj. form]
Pozorem = guise, pretence, circumstance [noun masc. sing. obj. form]

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Wypchaj się sianem.

English Phonemes: “VIHP-haee shyeh SHYAH-nehm”

Literal Translation: Stuff self hay!

Elegant Translation: Stuff yourself with hay!

English Equivalent: Get lost! Beat it!

Another beautiful and colorful way to tell someone to hit the bricks. Harkening back to the first episode of this show - Idź krowie na ogon :-)

Enjoy!

Wypchaj = stuff, cram [singular imperative]
Się = self [reflective helper word]
Sianem = hay [n., singular neutral obj. form]

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