Od świętej Katarzyny nie wyganiaj już żywiny
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What it means
From Saint Catherine’s Day (25 November), stop driving livestock out to pasture. A farming proverb signalling that animals should be kept indoors for winter from this date.
Vocabulary
- święta — saint (feminine)
- Katarzyna — Catherine
- wyganiać — to drive out, to chase out
- żywina — livestock, cattle (archaic/regional)
Grammar note
'Nie wyganiaj' is a negative imperative. 'Żywiny' is the genitive of 'żywina', required after negation.
Cultural context
'Żywina' is an archaic or regional word for livestock. Saint Catherine's Day (25 November) marked the end of the outdoor grazing season in traditional Polish farming.
Intermediate
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