• Listen

  What it means

  “When it rains in January, it makes for bad hopes.” Rain in January — instead of snow — is a bad omen for the year ahead, suggesting poor harvests or difficult seasons to come.

  Vocabulary

  • styczeń — January
  • deszcz — rain
  • lać — to pour, to rain heavily
  • zły — bad, evil
  • nadzieja — hope

  Grammar note

  'Złe robi nadzieje' — 'złe' modifies 'nadzieje' (accusative plural of 'nadzieja'). 'Robić nadzieje' means 'to give/make hopes'.

  Cultural context

  In the Polish agricultural tradition, a snowy January was considered essential for good soil moisture and a successful growing season. Rain instead of snow was seen as a disruption of the natural order.

  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!