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  What it means

  Literally “when the cat is away, the mice play.” When the authority figure or supervisor is absent, those under them do as they please. Exact equivalent of the English proverb.

  Vocabulary

  • kot — cat
  • myszy — mice (plural of 'mysz')
  • harcować — to frolic, to romp, to run wild

  Grammar note

  'Kota' is the genitive singular after negation — 'nie ma kota' (there is no cat) requires genitive.

  Beginner

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