Signification
To be among the leaders.
Contexte culturel
Poles are very proud of their 'IT czołówka'. It is a common point of national pride that Polish developers rank in the top 3 globally in various coding challenges. During the 'Adam Małysz era' (ski jumping), the term 'czołówka' was used daily in every household to describe Małysz's consistent performance among the world's best. University rankings (like the 'Perspektywy' ranking) are a huge deal in Poland. Being 'w czołówce' of this ranking determines a university's funding and prestige. The 'Lista 100 najbogatszych Polaków' (List of 100 richest Poles) by Forbes is a major annual event where the 'czołówka' of Polish business is analyzed.
Use 'Ścisła' for Emphasis
Add the word 'ścisła' (narrow/strict) to say someone is in the very, very top group (e.g., top 3 instead of top 10).
Preposition Alert
Always use 'w', never 'na'. 'Na czołówce' is a common mistake for English speakers.
Signification
To be among the leaders.
Use 'Ścisła' for Emphasis
Add the word 'ścisła' (narrow/strict) to say someone is in the very, very top group (e.g., top 3 instead of top 10).
Preposition Alert
Always use 'w', never 'na'. 'Na czołówce' is a common mistake for English speakers.
Business Context
In a job interview, saying 'Państwa firma jest w czołówce' is a subtle and professional way to show you've done your research.
Teste-toi
Fill in the correct form of 'czołówka' with the preposition.
Nasza szkoła jest ________ rankingu krajowego.
We use 'w' + Locative case ('czołówce') to show location within a group.
Which sentence is the most natural for a business report?
How would you say the company is among the leaders?
'Być w czołówce' is the standard professional way to describe market leaders.
Match the Polish phrase with its English equivalent.
Match the following:
These are the most common variations of the idiom.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Czy Robert Lewandowski strzelił gola? B: Nie, ale wciąż ________ najlepszych strzelców.
The verb 'być' (jest) is used to describe a state of being in a ranking.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesNasza szkoła jest ________ rankingu krajowego.
We use 'w' + Locative case ('czołówce') to show location within a group.
How would you say the company is among the leaders?
'Być w czołówce' is the standard professional way to describe market leaders.
Associez chaque element a gauche avec son pair a droite :
These are the most common variations of the idiom.
A: Czy Robert Lewandowski strzelił gola? B: Nie, ale wciąż ________ najlepszych strzelców.
The verb 'być' (jest) is used to describe a state of being in a ranking.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
5 questionsNot necessarily. It means they are among the best (e.g., in the top 5 or 10). To say someone is #1, use 'jest liderem' or 'jest na pierwszym miejscu'.
Yes! You can say 'On jest w czołówce najlepszych kucharzy' (He is among the top chefs).
It is neutral to formal. It's perfect for both a casual chat about sports and a formal business presentation.
The opposite is 'na szarym końcu' (at the very end/bottom).
Because of the Polish case system. After the preposition 'w' (meaning location), nouns take the Locative case.
Expressions liées
być na czele
similarTo be at the head/leading.
iść łeb w łeb
similarTo go neck and neck.
być na szarym końcu
contrastTo be at the very end.
dzierżyć palmę pierwszeństwa
specialized formTo hold the palm of priority (to be #1).
