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  What it means

  “A peasant won’t cross himself until he hears thunder.” People don’t take precautions or turn to prayer until danger is already upon them. A comment on human procrastination and complacency.

  English equivalent

  Don't lock the stable door after the horse has bolted.

  Vocabulary

  • chłop — peasant, man
  • przeżegnać się — to cross oneself
  • dopóki — until, as long as
  • piorun — thunderbolt, lightning
  • usłyszeć — to hear

  Grammar note

  'Nie przeżegna' is a negated perfective future. 'Dopóki … nie usłyszy' — the 'nie' here is a pleonastic negative used in Polish subordinate clauses after 'dopóki'.

  Cultural context

  Crossing oneself at thunder was a common folk reflex to ward off lightning; the proverb uses it to illustrate reactive rather than preventive behaviour.

  Intermediate

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