Nie, ale po polsku
Ten ways to say no, from a raised eyebrow to a flat refusal — with a fig, a tree and a dead body along the way. One of them can also mean yes.
nie ma opcji
phrase · colloquial
- EN
- no way, not an option
- RU
- исключено, ни за что
Pracować w sobotę? Nie ma opcji.
Work on Saturday? No way.
Literally 'there is no option'. The modern everyday no — firm and colloquial, and blunt if you give no reason with it.
figa z makiem
phrase · colloquial
- EN
- not a chance, nothing doing; zilch
- RU
- фиг тебе, шиш с маслом
Myślał, że dostanie premię, a tu figa z makiem.
He thought he'd get a bonus, and he got zilch.
Literally 'a fig with poppy seed' — the fig is the rude gesture, the poppy seed the garnish. Russian serves шиш with butter; Polish, with poppy seed. Both mean you get nothing.
nie ma bata
phrase · slang
- EN
- no way, not a chance; no doubt about it
- RU
- без шансов; сто процентов
Nie ma bata, nie zdążymy.
No way, we won't make it.
Literally 'there is no whip'. The one to watch: it can also mean 'no doubt, for sure' — nie ma bata, wygramy — so the rest of the sentence decides which way it swings.
nic z tego
phrase
- EN
- nothing doing, no dice; it came to nothing
- RU
- ничего не выйдет; ничего не вышло
Chciałeś wolne w piątek? Nic z tego.
You wanted Friday off? Nothing doing.
Both a refusal and a verdict on a plan: miałem jechać na narty, ale nic z tego — it fell through. Short enough to say with a shrug.
co to, to nie
phrase · colloquial
- EN
- anything but that; that's where I draw the line
- RU
- вот это уж нет, только не это
Mogę pomóc przy przeprowadzce, ale nosić pianina — co to, to nie.
I can help with the move, but carry pianos — that's where I draw the line.
A firm 'absolutely not', often after listing what you will accept. Keep the comma in writing: co to, to nie.
po moim trupie
phrase · colloquial
- EN
- over my dead body
- RU
- только через мой труп
Sprzedać działkę dziadka? Po moim trupie.
Sell grandad's plot? Over my dead body.
The same image as Russian только через мой труп, with po, 'over', in place of через. Theatrical or deadly serious — the tone tells you which.
chyba śnisz
phrase · colloquial
- EN
- you must be dreaming, dream on
- RU
- размечтался, губу закатай
Że ci oddam ładowarkę? Chyba śnisz.
That I'll give you back the charger? Dream on.
Literally 'you must be dreaming', said dismissively like 'dream on'. Chyba cię pogięło is the ruder reaction — roughly 'have you lost your mind?'
spasować
verb · perfective, colloquial
- EN
- to pass, to give up, to back out
- RU
- спасовать, отказаться от участия
Maraton? Tym razem spasuję.
A marathon? I'll pass this time.
From cards, as in Russian пасовать. Both pasuję and spasuję can mean 'I'll pass' — but pasuje mi means 'it suits me', so watch the pronoun.
wybij to sobie z głowy
phrase · verb, perfective
- EN
- forget it, get that idea out of your head
- RU
- выбрось это из головы
Nowy telefon? Wybij to sobie z głowy.
A new phone? Forget it.
Literally 'knock it out of your own head', and the sobie makes it your job to do the knocking. The parent's no, delivered before the request is finished.
nie tędy droga
phrase
- EN
- that's not the way (to do it)
- RU
- это не выход, не тот путь
Krzyczeć na dzieci? Nie tędy droga.
Shouting at the kids? That's not the way.
Literally 'the road is not this way'. It rejects a method, not a person — though it can sound patronising. Obawiam się, że nie tędy droga softens it for a meeting.
Drill these ten · earlier morning · later morning
Drill these ten