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  What it means

  “With bread and salt people bind people.” Offering bread and salt — the traditional Polish greeting of honour — creates a bond of hospitality and obligation between host and guest.

  Vocabulary

  • chleb — bread
  • sól — salt
  • niewolić — to bind, to enslave (here: to win over)

  Grammar note

  'Chlebem i solą' are instrumental forms. 'Niewoląý' (niewoląý) is an archaic spelling of 'niewoląý' — third person plural present.

  Cultural context

  Welcoming guests with bread and salt is one of Poland's most enduring customs, symbolising prosperity and friendship.

  Intermediate

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