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  What it means

  “To give someone the basket.” To reject a romantic advance, to turn someone down — to friendzone or dump someone.

  Vocabulary

  • dawać — to give (imperfective)
  • kosz — basket
  • kosza — basket (genitive)

  Grammar note

  'Kosza' is genitive of 'kosz'. The imperfective 'dawać kosza' implies a repeated or habitual rejection; 'dać kosza' is the single act.

  Cultural context

  The origin is disputed — one theory links it to an old custom where a rejected suitor was given a basket instead of a gift. Still widely used today.

  Intermediate

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