뜻
A difficult period in life.
문화적 배경
In Poland, 'ciężkie czasy' is often used to refer to the 'PRL' (Communist) era, specifically the 1980s when there were massive shortages of basic goods like sugar and toilet paper. Americans use 'Hard times' similarly, but often associate it with the Great Depression of the 1930s or the 2008 financial crisis. The 'Lost Decades' (Ushinawareta Jūnen) are the Japanese equivalent of a long period of 'ciężkie czasy', characterized by economic stagnation. Germans use 'Schwere Zeiten' frequently in historical contexts, particularly when discussing the post-WWII reconstruction period (Trümmerjahre).
Use it to bond
If a Pole complains about prices, agreeing with 'Tak, nastały ciężkie czasy' is a great way to build rapport.
Don't overdo it
If you use it for every small problem, you might sound like a 'maruda' (a chronic complainer).
뜻
A difficult period in life.
Use it to bond
If a Pole complains about prices, agreeing with 'Tak, nastały ciężkie czasy' is a great way to build rapport.
Don't overdo it
If you use it for every small problem, you might sound like a 'maruda' (a chronic complainer).
Pair with 'nastać'
The verb 'nastać' (to arrive/set in) sounds very natural with this phrase: 'Nastały ciężkie czasy'.
셀프 테스트
Fill in the blank with the correct form of 'ciężkie czasy'.
Moi dziadkowie często opowiadają o ______ (Genitive) po wojnie.
After the preposition 'o' (about) in this context, we use the Locative case: 'o ciężkich czasach'.
Which sentence is the most natural for a Pole to say during an economic crisis?
Wybierz poprawne zdanie:
'Ciężkie czasy' is the standard idiom. 'Twarde' and 'mocne' are literal translations that sound unnatural.
Complete the dialogue with the most appropriate phrase.
A: Straciłem pracę i mam dużo długów. B: Przykro mi, słyszę, że masz teraz ______.
The context of job loss and debt clearly indicates a period of hardship.
Match the Polish phrase with its English equivalent.
Połącz pary:
These are the standard translations for these related concepts.
🎉 점수: /4
시각 학습 자료
연습 문제 은행
4 연습 문제Moi dziadkowie często opowiadają o ______ (Genitive) po wojnie.
After the preposition 'o' (about) in this context, we use the Locative case: 'o ciężkich czasach'.
Wybierz poprawne zdanie:
'Ciężkie czasy' is the standard idiom. 'Twarde' and 'mocne' are literal translations that sound unnatural.
A: Straciłem pracę i mam dużo długów. B: Przykro mi, słyszę, że masz teraz ______.
The context of job loss and debt clearly indicates a period of hardship.
왼쪽의 각 항목을 오른쪽의 짝과 연결하세요:
These are the standard translations for these related concepts.
🎉 점수: /4
자주 묻는 질문
10 질문No, it can refer to war, political oppression, or personal emotional struggles like grief.
You can, but it usually refers to a specific, short moment (e.g., 'To był dla mnie ciężki czas wczoraj'). For general periods, use the plural.
It is neutral. You can use it in a newspaper, a history book, or with your friends.
The most common opposite is 'dobre czasy' (good times) or 'złote czasy' (golden times).
'Trudne czasy' is also correct and very common. 'Ciężkie' just feels a bit more dramatic and heavy.
Use 'podczas ciężkich czasów' or 'w ciężkich czasach'.
Yes, Russian (тяжелые времена) and Czech (těžké časy) use almost identical constructions.
Not really. For an exam, say 'trudny egzamin'. 'Ciężkie czasy' is for a longer period of life.
Not at all. It is used every day in modern Polish media and conversation.
Yes, 'ciężkie lata' (heavy years) is a very common alternative.
관련 표현
Trudne czasy
synonymDifficult times
Chude lata
similarLean years
Złote czasy
contrastGolden times
Ciężka praca
builds onHard work
