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  What it means

  “Without work there is no pay.” A direct, modern-sounding variant of the ‘bez pracy’ family of proverbs. If you don’t work, you don’t get paid — effort is the prerequisite for any reward.

  English equivalent

  No work, no pay. / No pain, no gain.

  Vocabulary

  • praca — work, labour
  • płaca — pay, wages, salary

  Grammar note

  'Bez pracy' — genitive of 'praca'. 'Płacy' — genitive of 'płaca' after 'nie ma'. The rhyme 'pracy / płacy' gives it the same rhythmic punch as the other variants.

  Beginner

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