• Listen

  What it means

  A mother is a mother, and a stepmother is a stepmother — nothing can replace a biological mother’s love.

  English equivalent

  There's no substitute for a mother's love.

  Vocabulary

  • matka — mother
  • macocha — stepmother

  Grammar note

  Repeated 'co … to …' structure emphasising the distinction. No verb needed — the repetition itself carries the meaning.

  Cultural context

  Stepmothers appear frequently as antagonists in Polish folklore and fairy tales, giving this proverb a strong cultural resonance.

  Beginner

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