Significado
To be patient or not in a rush.
Contexto cultural
Hospitality (gościnność) is a core Polish value. Looking at your watch as a host is considered a sign that you want your guests to leave. Conversely, a guest who 'doesn't look at the watch' is showing they feel comfortable and welcome. Similar to Poland, countries like Italy and Greece value 'event-time'. The phrase 'nie patrzeć na zegarek' resonates with the 'dolce far niente' or 'slow life' philosophy where the social bond is more important than the schedule. In modern Polish offices, 'nie patrzeć na zegarek' can sometimes imply a 'crunch' culture where employees are expected to stay until the job is done, regardless of the time. Traditional Polish weddings (wesela) last until dawn. Checking your watch at 1 AM is seen as leaving 'early'. The phrase is the unofficial motto of a good 'wesele'.
Compliment your host
If you want to be a great guest in Poland, tell your host 'Przy tobie nie patrzy się na zegarek'. It's a huge compliment.
Don't be too literal
If you literally don't have a watch, say 'Nie mam zegarka'. Using 'nie patrzę' implies you have one but are ignoring it.
Significado
To be patient or not in a rush.
Compliment your host
If you want to be a great guest in Poland, tell your host 'Przy tobie nie patrzy się na zegarek'. It's a huge compliment.
Don't be too literal
If you literally don't have a watch, say 'Nie mam zegarka'. Using 'nie patrzę' implies you have one but are ignoring it.
Use with 'zupełnie'
Adding 'zupełnie' (completely) or 'w ogóle' (at all) makes the phrase sound much more natural and emphatic.
Ponte a prueba
Fill in the missing preposition and noun in the correct case.
Kiedy rozmawiam z mamą, nigdy nie patrzę ___ _______.
The verb 'patrzeć' requires the preposition 'na' followed by the Accusative case. 'Zegarek' in Accusative is 'zegarek'.
Which sentence best describes a person who is NOT in a hurry and is enjoying themselves?
Wybierz poprawne zdanie:
The idiom 'nie patrzeć na zegarek' implies enjoyment and lack of rush.
Complete the dialogue with the most natural response.
Ania: 'Już jest 22:00! Musisz iść?' Tomek: 'Nie, dzisiaj...'
Tomek wants to stay longer, so he uses the idiom to show he isn't worried about the time.
Match the phrase to the situation.
W której sytuacji użyjesz 'nie patrzeć na zegarek'?
The phrase is used for pleasant, unhurried social situations.
🎉 Puntuación: /4
Ayudas visuales
Banco de ejercicios
4 ejerciciosKiedy rozmawiam z mamą, nigdy nie patrzę ___ _______.
The verb 'patrzeć' requires the preposition 'na' followed by the Accusative case. 'Zegarek' in Accusative is 'zegarek'.
Wybierz poprawne zdanie:
The idiom 'nie patrzeć na zegarek' implies enjoyment and lack of rush.
Ania: 'Już jest 22:00! Musisz iść?' Tomek: 'Nie, dzisiaj...'
Tomek wants to stay longer, so he uses the idiom to show he isn't worried about the time.
W której sytuacji użyjesz 'nie patrzeć na zegarek'?
The phrase is used for pleasant, unhurried social situations.
🎉 Puntuación: /4
Preguntas frecuentes
5 preguntasYes, but 'zegarek' (wristwatch) is much more common for this idiom. 'Zegar' usually refers to a large wall clock.
It is neutral. You can use it with your boss to show dedication or with a friend to show you're having fun.
Nie patrzyłam na zegarek.
Not exactly. 'Time flies' (czas leci) is about the speed of time. 'Nie patrzeć na zegarek' is about your choice to ignore time.
In a social setting, yes, it can be seen as a sign that you are bored or in a hurry to leave.
Frases relacionadas
czas leci
similartime flies
zabijać czas
contrastto kill time
mieć czas
builds onto have time
szczęśliwi czasu nie liczą
synonymhappy people don't count time
