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  What it means

  “Not the one who fathered is the father, but the one who raised.” Fatherhood is earned through care and upbringing, not merely through biology.

  English equivalent

  Any man can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a dad.

  Vocabulary

  • ociec — father (archaic/dialectal form of 'ojciec')
  • spłodzić — to father, to beget
  • wychować — to raise, to bring up

  Grammar note

  'Lecz' is a literary/formal conjunction meaning 'but'. Both 'spłodził' and 'wychował' are perfective past tense. 'Ociec' is an archaic form of 'ojciec'.

  Cultural context

  'Ociec' is an archaic or dialectal form of 'ojciec' (father), giving this proverb a folk or old-fashioned register.

  Intermediate

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