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  What it means

  Literally “cat heads.” The Polish term for cobblestones — the large, rounded paving stones used on old streets. Named for their rounded shape resembling a cat’s head.

  Vocabulary

  • koci — cat's (adjective from kot)
  • łeb — head (colloquial)

  Grammar note

  'Kocie łby' — nominative plural. 'Koci' is the adjective from 'kot' (cat), neuter plural form 'kocie' agreeing with 'łby'.

  Cultural context

  Old Polish town centres are famously paved with kocie łby — beautiful but notoriously hard to walk on in heels or cycle over.

  Intermediate

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