Meaning
To have good luck.
Cultural Background
In Poland, admitting to 'having a fart' is a sign of modesty. It suggests you don't think you're better than others, just luckier. Polish gamers use 'fart' constantly to describe 'lucky shots' or 'RNG' (random number generation) success. Students often use 'fart' to describe passing an exam they didn't study for. It's a badge of honor. In startup culture, 'fart' is sometimes used to describe a 'pivot' that worked out by accident.
Use it for small things
It's most natural for small daily wins, like finding a parking spot.
English False Friend
Remember: Polish 'fart' = Good. English 'fart' = Smelly. Don't mix them up!
Meaning
To have good luck.
Use it for small things
It's most natural for small daily wins, like finding a parking spot.
English False Friend
Remember: Polish 'fart' = Good. English 'fart' = Smelly. Don't mix them up!
The 'Ale' prefix
Adding 'Ale' (But/What a) before it makes it much more expressive: 'Ale fart!'
Test Yourself
Fill in the correct form of 'mieć farta'.
Wczoraj znalazłem portfel na ulicy. Ale ______!
The sentence starts with 'Wczoraj' (Yesterday), so we need the past tense.
Which sentence is appropriate for a job interview?
How should you say you were lucky to get a previous opportunity?
'Mieć szczęście' is neutral/formal, while the others are too slangy for an interview.
Match the situation to the phrase.
You missed your bus, but then you realized you forgot your phone and had to go back anyway.
Even though you missed the bus, it turned out to be lucky because you needed to go back for your phone.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Wygrałem w lotto! B: Co?! Ale ____!
The idiomatic form is always 'farta' with the -a ending.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Fart vs. Szczęście
Practice Bank
4 exercisesWczoraj znalazłem portfel na ulicy. Ale ______!
The sentence starts with 'Wczoraj' (Yesterday), so we need the past tense.
How should you say you were lucky to get a previous opportunity?
'Mieć szczęście' is neutral/formal, while the others are too slangy for an interview.
You missed your bus, but then you realized you forgot your phone and had to go back anyway.
Even though you missed the bus, it turned out to be lucky because you needed to go back for your phone.
A: Wygrałem w lotto! B: Co?! Ale ____!
The idiomatic form is always 'farta' with the -a ending.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsNo, it's not rude, but it is very informal. Don't use it with your boss or in a formal letter.
It's a grammatical quirk of Polish idioms where masculine nouns often take the '-a' ending in the accusative.
Yes! It means 'I'm not lucky' or 'I'm having a run of bad luck.'
A 'farciarz' is a lucky person (a 'lucky dog'). It's the noun form of the idiom.
Mostly, but 'szczęście' can also mean 'happiness', while 'fart' only means 'luck'.
Yes, it is a universal Polish idiom used from Gdańsk to Kraków.
Yes: 'Będę miał farta' (I will be lucky).
Yes, kids use it all the time, especially when playing games.
'Fuks' is even more accidental and often used for exams or specific 'flukes'.
Just say 'Ale fart!'
Related Phrases
mieć fuksa
synonymto have a fluke/luck
mieć szczęście
similarto be lucky/happy
mieć pecha
contrastto have bad luck
fartowny
builds onlucky (adjective)
