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  What it means

  “Pawn yourself, but put on a show.” Urges keeping up appearances even at personal cost — spend beyond your means if necessary to look good in front of others. Often used ironically to criticise vanity or living beyond one’s means.

  English equivalent

  Keep up with the Joneses.

  Vocabulary

  • zastawić się — to pawn oneself, to pledge everything
  • postawić się — to present oneself well, to put on a show

  Grammar note

  Both verbs are in the imperative reflexive form ('zastaw się', 'postaw się'). The 'a' here is an adversative conjunction meaning 'but / yet'.

  Intermediate

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