• Listen

  What it means

  A lie has short legs — it can’t run far. Lies are soon caught out.

  English equivalent

  Lies have short legs.

  Vocabulary

  • kłamstwo — lie, falsehood
  • krótki — short
  • nogi — legs (plural of noga)

  Grammar note

  'Krótkie nogi' uses the accusative plural after 'mieć' (to have). The metaphor of short legs means a lie cannot travel far before being caught.

  Cultural context

  One of the most common Polish proverbs about honesty, with direct equivalents across many European languages.

  Beginner

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