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  What it means

  Literally “the devil doesn’t sleep.” Means trouble is always lurking, bad things can happen at any moment — “the devil never sleeps,” “evil never rests.” Used as a warning to stay vigilant.

  Vocabulary

  • licho — evil spirit, devil, bad luck
  • spać — to sleep

  Grammar note

  'Nie śpi' — negated third person singular present of 'spać'. 'Licho' is a folk term for an evil spirit or misfortune personified.

  Cultural context

  Licho is a figure from Slavic folklore — a one-eyed spirit of misfortune. The phrase reflects the Polish folk belief that evil is always watchful.

  Intermediate

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