Meaning
To leave quickly, often out of fear.
Cultural Background
The 'pas kontuszowy' (kontusz belt) was a symbol of high social status in the 17th and 18th centuries. It was often made of silk and gold thread. Tucking your expensive clothes into it to run was a sign of true urgency. The idiom is frequently used in memes involving animals (especially cats and dogs) performing 'zoomies' or running away from household objects like cucumbers or vacuum cleaners. Classic authors like Henryk Sienkiewicz used this idiom to describe characters in his historical novels, grounding the phrase in the national consciousness. This is often one of the first idioms taught to children in primary school to explain the difference between literal and figurative language.
Use for humor
This idiom is great for making light of a situation where you were a bit of a coward.
Perfective vs Imperfective
Remember: 'wziąć' is for one time, 'brać' is for many times. Don't swap them randomly!
Meaning
To leave quickly, often out of fear.
Use for humor
This idiom is great for making light of a situation where you were a bit of a coward.
Perfective vs Imperfective
Remember: 'wziąć' is for one time, 'brać' is for many times. Don't swap them randomly!
Noble origins
Mentioning you know it comes from the 'kontusz' will really impress Polish native speakers.
Test Yourself
Fill in the missing words to complete the idiom.
Gdy zobaczyłem niedźwiedzia, wziąłem ____ za ____.
The correct idiom is 'wziąć nogi za pas'.
Which sentence uses the idiom correctly in the past tense for a woman?
Ania zobaczyła pająka i...
'Wzięła' is the feminine past tense form of 'wziąć'.
Match the situation to the most likely use of the idiom.
Situation: You are at a party and your boss starts talking about work on a Saturday.
You want to escape the situation quickly to avoid work.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Dlaczego Marek tak szybko wybiegł z pokoju? B: ____________________
This explains his fast departure using the idiom.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Polish vs English Fleeing Idioms
Practice Bank
4 exercisesGdy zobaczyłem niedźwiedzia, wziąłem ____ za ____.
The correct idiom is 'wziąć nogi za pas'.
Ania zobaczyła pająka i...
'Wzięła' is the feminine past tense form of 'wziąć'.
Situation: You are at a party and your boss starts talking about work on a Saturday.
You want to escape the situation quickly to avoid work.
A: Dlaczego Marek tak szybko wybiegł z pokoju? B: ____________________
This explains his fast departure using the idiom.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsNo, it's not rude, but it is informal. It's like saying 'he bolted' in English.
Yes! It's very common to use it for cats, dogs, or even insects running away.
In this context, it's a belt. Specifically, a historical wide sash worn by Polish nobles.
No, that makes no sense. The idiom is fixed with 'nogi' (legs).
Only if you are joking with colleagues. Avoid it in formal presentations.
Wziąłem nogi za pas (if you are male) or Wzięłam nogi za pas (if you are female).
Yes, but 'uciekać' is a plain verb, while 'wziąć nogi za pas' is more descriptive and colorful.
No, 'nogi' is always plural in this idiom.
No, it specifically refers to running on legs.
Using the wrong preposition, like 'nogi pod pas' or 'nogi do pasa'.
Related Phrases
dać drapaka
synonymTo bolt or run away.
uciekać gdzie pieprz rośnie
similarTo run to where the pepper grows (very far away).
pokazać pięty
similarTo show one's heels.
ulotnić się
similarTo evaporate / to slip away.
stawić czoła
contrastTo face something head-on.
