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  What it means

  “A bad dancer finds her apron in the way.” A poor performer always finds something trivial to blame for their failure. The apron here is a stand-in for any flimsy excuse.

  English equivalent

  A bad workman blames his tools.

  Vocabulary

  • tancerka / tanecznica — dancer (female)
  • fartuch — apron
  • zawada — obstacle, hindrance

  Grammar note

  'Złej tanecznicy' is the dative singular. 'Na zawadzie' is a fixed phrase meaning 'in the way, as an obstacle'.

  Intermediate

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