Meaning
Denying responsibility for an event.
Cultural Background
Poles are generally very direct. If they feel they are being unfairly blamed, they will use 'To nie moja wina' immediately and firmly. It is not considered rude, but rather a clarification of facts. In the Silesian dialect (śląska godka), you might hear 'To nie je moja wina' or 'To nie moja gańba', though 'wina' is universally understood. In modern Polish offices, 'To nie moja wina' is often replaced by 'To nie mój ticket' (Not my ticket/task) among IT professionals, reflecting the influence of English project management terms. Younger Poles often use the phrase ironically in memes, especially when something obviously *is* their fault but they want to joke about it.
Add 'naprawdę'
Add 'naprawdę' (really) to sound more sincere: 'To naprawdę nie moja wina'.
Don't over-use
Using this too much in a professional setting can make you seem like you're avoiding accountability.
Meaning
Denying responsibility for an event.
Add 'naprawdę'
Add 'naprawdę' (really) to sound more sincere: 'To naprawdę nie moja wina'.
Don't over-use
Using this too much in a professional setting can make you seem like you're avoiding accountability.
The Shrug
Poles often accompany this phrase with a physical shrug and palms facing up.
Test Yourself
Fill in the missing possessive pronoun (my).
To nie ____ wina.
'Wina' is feminine, so we use 'moja'.
Which sentence means 'It wasn't my fault'?
Choose the past tense version:
'Była' is the feminine past tense of 'to be'.
Complete the dialogue with the correct phrase.
A: Dlaczego zupa jest przesolona? B: ________, to kucharz ją gotował!
The speaker is deflecting blame to the chef.
Match the situation to the best response.
Situation: You are late because the bus broke down.
This is the most natural way to explain a delay caused by transport.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesTo nie ____ wina.
'Wina' is feminine, so we use 'moja'.
Choose the past tense version:
'Była' is the feminine past tense of 'to be'.
A: Dlaczego zupa jest przesolona? B: ________, to kucharz ją gotował!
The speaker is deflecting blame to the chef.
Situation: You are late because the bus broke down.
This is the most natural way to explain a delay caused by transport.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsIt's better to use 'Nie ponoszę za to odpowiedzialności' in very formal writing, but 'To nie moja wina' is okay for emails to colleagues.
'Wina' is fault/guilt (responsibility), while 'błąd' is a mistake (an error in a task).
Yes, 'wina' is a feminine noun, so you always use 'moja', 'twoja', 'nasza', etc.
Simply say 'To twoja wina'.
Yes, but you should follow it with a reason, like 'To nie moja wina, korki były straszne' (It's not my fault, the traffic was terrible).
Yes, 'wina' is the plural of 'wino' (wine), which is a common source of puns in Poland.
Not if it's true, but it's more professional to explain the situation rather than just denying fault.
Use 'To nie moja wina, że...' followed by the rest of your sentence.
'To nie była moja wina' (It wasn't my fault).
'To nie będzie moja wina' (It won't be my fault).
Related Phrases
To nie mój błąd
similarIt's not my mistake
Umywać ręce
similarTo wash one's hands of something
Moja wina
contrastMy fault / Mea culpa
To nie moja broszka
specialized formNot my business / Not my problem
Z mojej winy
builds onBecause of my fault
