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  What it means

  A good joke is worth a tynf. A witty remark or clever jest has real value — it is worth paying for.

  Vocabulary

  • żart — joke, jest
  • tynf — tynf (a historical Polish silver coin of modest value)

  Grammar note

  'Tynfa wart' — genitive 'tynfa' after 'wart' (worth): 'worth a tynf'. The rhyme 'żart / wart' is the mnemonic hook.

  Cultural context

  The tynf was a coin used in 17th–18th century Poland. The proverb is still widely used today despite the coin being long obsolete, valued for its rhyme.

  Intermediate

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