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  What it means

  “The devils took the cow, let them take the calf too.” Once a major loss has occurred, the smaller related losses no longer matter. In for a penny, in for a pound.

  English equivalent

  In for a penny, in for a pound.

  Vocabulary

  • diabeł — devil
  • krowa — cow
  • cielę — calf
  • brać — to take
  • niech — let (them), may (they)

  Grammar note

  'Wzięli' is the masculine personal past plural of 'wziąć'. 'Niech biorą' is a permissive/optative construction. 'Krowę' and 'cielę' are accusative objects.

  Intermediate

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