Kurczę i spółka
The euphemism ladder. Polish swears vividly, and these are the rungs you can use in front of anyone.
kurczę
interjection
- EN
- darn, sugar
- RU
- блин, ёлки
Kurczę, zapomniałem portfela.
Darn, I've forgotten my wallet.
Literally a chicken. It is a minced form of a much stronger word beginning the same way, and it is safe in any company at all.
kurde
interjection · colloquial
- EN
- damn
- RU
- блин, чёрт
Kurde, znowu się zawiesiło.
Damn, it's frozen again.
One rung up from kurczę and still not a swear word. Fine with friends, borderline in an office.
kurna
interjection · colloquial
- EN
- blimey, damn
- RU
- блин
Kurna, ale zimno.
Blimey, it's cold.
The third of the same family. Three euphemisms for one word tells you how useful that word is and how often it is avoided.
o matko
interjection
- EN
- oh my
- RU
- мамочки, о боже
O matko, co się tu stało?
Oh my, what happened here?
Surprise or dismay, never anger. O matko i córko is the longer, more theatrical version.
jasny gwint
interjection · colloquial
- EN
- blimey, bloody hell
- RU
- ёлки-палки
Jasny gwint, ale nas nastraszył!
Bloody hell, he gave us a fright!
Literally 'bright thread', as in a screw thread. Nobody knows why and it is mild enough for a grandmother.
motyla noga
interjection · colloquial
- EN
- for goodness' sake
- RU
- ёлки-моталки
Motyla noga, ile można czekać?
For goodness' sake, how long can this take?
A butterfly's leg. Deliberately absurd, which is the whole point of a euphemism — the sillier it sounds, the safer it is.
do licha
phrase · interjection
- EN
- for heaven's sake
- RU
- чёрт побери
Do licha, gdzie są klucze?
For heaven's sake, where are the keys?
Licho is an old word for an evil spirit — the same licho as in RU лихо. Slightly dated and entirely safe.
psiakrew
interjection · dated
- EN
- damn it
- RU
- чёрт возьми
Psiakrew, znowu deszcz.
Damn it, raining again.
Dog's blood. Now distinctly old-fashioned, which is exactly why it sounds charming rather than rude.
szlag by to trafił
phrase · interjection
- EN
- damn the thing
- RU
- чтоб оно провалилось
Szlag by to trafił, nie działa.
Damn the thing, it isn't working.
Szlag is a stroke, from German Schlag. Szlag mnie trafia means something is driving me up the wall.
niech to gęś kopnie
phrase · interjection
- EN
- well I'll be blowed
- RU
- чтоб тебя
Niech to gęś kopnie, znowu się pomyliłem.
Blow it, I've got it wrong again.
May a goose kick it. The gęś from the gender batch, back in an idiom nobody can explain.
Drill these ten · earlier morning · later morning
Drill these ten