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  What it means

  “A Pole is wise after the damage is done.” Poles (or people in general) tend to learn from mistakes only after suffering the consequences, not before. A self-deprecating proverb about hindsight wisdom.

  English equivalent

  Hindsight is 20/20. / Locking the stable door after the horse has bolted.

  Vocabulary

  • mądry — wise, clever
  • szkoda — damage, harm, loss
  • po — after (here: following)

  Grammar note

  'Po szkodzie' uses the locative of 'szkoda' after the preposition 'po' meaning 'after'.

  Cultural context

  One of the most famous Polish proverbs, often cited with a mixture of irony and self-awareness. It dates back to at least the 16th century.

  Beginner

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