• Listen

  What it means

  “A little word flies out like a sparrow but comes back like an ox.” A careless remark leaves quickly and lightly, but its consequences return heavy and hard to handle. Think before you speak.

  English equivalent

  A word spoken is past recalling.

  Vocabulary

  • słówko — little word (diminutive of słowo)
  • wróbel — sparrow
  • wół — ox
  • wylecieć — to fly out
  • powrócić — to return, to come back

  Grammar note

  'Wróblem' and 'wołem' are instrumental singulars, used here to express manner or form ('as a sparrow', 'as an ox'). 'Wyleci' and 'powróci' are perfective future forms.

  Intermediate

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