• Listen

  What it means

  “To be in Rome and not see the Pope.” To miss the most obvious or important thing when you are in the perfect position to see it. Said of someone who overlooks what is right in front of them.

  English equivalent

  To be in Rome and not see the Pope.

  Vocabulary

  • Rzym — Rome
  • papież — Pope
  • widzieć — to see

  Grammar note

  Infinitive construction: 'być … i nie widzieć …' — 'to be … and not to see …'. 'W Rzymie' — locative of 'Rzym'.

  Cultural context

  Poland's deep Catholic identity makes the Pope a figure of supreme importance, heightening the absurdity of missing him while in Rome.

  Beginner

Noticed a typo, a wrong translation, or anything that doesn't look right? We'd love to fix it — just let us know via the contact page. Thank you!