Episode 156: To Put Under Pig!

Podłożyć świnię.

English Phonemes: “pohd-WOH-[ż]ihch SHFEEN-y[ę]”

Literal Translation: To put under pig.

Elegant Translation: To plant a pig.

English Equivalent: To trip someone up. 

This is another fun phrase loosely related to mud-slinging. Picture putting a pig right under someone’s feet. They’d trip, cause quite a hullabaloo, and look silly. That visual should tell you just what’s going on here. It’s more than just trash talking, it’s about deliberately setting someone up to look like an a$$ - especially at work where opinions about outward appearances and performance matter more. 

Usage Example: Say your friend tells you they keep early hours at their job because they have to leave early to pick up their kids from school. Now picture that they have a coworker who deliberately schedules important meetings late in the day in the hope of making your friend look negligent and bad at their job. That coworker is trying to downright sabotage your friend’s professional reputation - and this phrase applies perfectly to describe what’s going on.

I can think of other examples in and outside of work, like how to make someone’s Significant Other look bad in front of a group of friends, or teammates on a team, etc., but the idea is the same all over: Sabotage.

Options: you can add the word “komuś ” (someone) or “pod nogi ” (under legs) to be more specific, but that’s not necessary. 

Podłożyć = to put under [verb, infinitive]
Swinię = pig [noun, f. s. obj. form]

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