Episode 21: Not You Share Skin On Bear!

Thanks to Listener Travis for the following link! 

14 Polish phrases that British people find hilarious
https://azimo.com/en/blog/14-polish-phrases-british-people-find-hilarious-say-instead

Today’s phrase:

Nie dziel skóry na niedźwiedziu!

English Phonemes: “nyeh jyehl SKOO-rih nah nyeh-JVYEH-joo”

Literal Translation: Not you share/divide [the] skin on [the] bear.
Meaning: Don’t divide the skin while it’s still on the bear.
English Saying Analog: Don’t count your chickens before they’ve hatched.

Clearly a hunters’ expression. Poles do have an agricultural heritage, but we are so close to woods and bodies of water, that fishing and hunting are part of the cultural ethos also. 

Here’s the breakdown of the words:
Nie = Not/No [Actively negates the verb coming after.]
Dziel = You (singular) share/divide
Skóry = Skin/Pelt/Hide [object form]
Na = On/Onto
Niedźwiedziu = Bear [object form (specifying ‘on’ what, on the bear)]

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Email us! mailbag@howyousay.fm
Visit the website! www.howyousay.fm
Tweet us! @HowYouSayFM
Rate us on Apple Podcasts!