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  What it means

  Literally “like cholera.” Used as an intensifier — “like hell,” “like crazy,” “incredibly.” Can modify speed, pain, difficulty, or any strong quality. E.g. “boli jak cholera” — it hurts like hell.

  Vocabulary

  • cholera — cholera; also: damn (expletive)

  Grammar note

  'Jak' + noun in nominative used as an intensifying comparison.

  Cultural context

  Cholera epidemics devastated Poland historically, making it a byword for something terrible and overwhelming.

  Intermediate

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