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  What it means

  “Uncle traded a stick for a hatchet.” A variant of the same proverb with a slightly different word order — the meaning is identical: a bad exchange that leaves one worse off.

  English equivalent

  Out of the frying pan, into the fire.

  Vocabulary

  • stryjek — uncle (father's brother, diminutive)
  • zamienić — to swap, to exchange
  • siekierka — hatchet, small axe
  • kijek — stick, small rod

  Grammar note

  'Za siekierkę' uses the accusative after 'za' in an exchange sense. 'Kijek' is the accusative direct object.

  Intermediate

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