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  What it means

  “Fish like to swim.” A humorous justification for washing down a fish meal — or any meal — with alcohol. The fish needs to swim, so give it something to swim in.

  Vocabulary

  • ryba — fish
  • lubić — to like, to enjoy
  • pływać — to swim, to float

  Grammar note

  'Lubi' is the third-person singular present of 'lubić'. 'Pływać' is the imperfective infinitive.

  Cultural context

  This is a classic Polish drinking proverb, used with a wink to justify having a vodka or beer with a fish dish. The humour lies in the double meaning: the fish on your plate still wants to 'swim'.

  Beginner

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