Meaning
to change expression to show emotion
Cultural Background
The 'Polish Face' is often perceived as stoic or unsmiling in public. However, 'zrobić minę' is a way to break that stoicism in private or among friends to show true feelings. In the US, 'making a face' is often discouraged in professional settings more than in Poland, where a 'kwaśna mina' is seen as an honest reaction to a bad idea. Japanese culture emphasizes 'honne' (true feelings) and 'tatemae' (public face). 'Zrobić minę' would be an expression of 'honne' and usually reserved for close circles. The French 'faire la moue' (to pout) is a very specific type of 'zrobić minę' that is culturally iconic and often seen as charming or stylishly bored.
Add an Adjective
The phrase 'zrobić minę' is rarely used alone. Always add an adjective like 'dziwną', 'smutną', or 'wesołą' to make it meaningful.
Watch the Ending
Don't forget the 'ę' in 'minę'. If you say 'zrobić mina', it sounds like you are trying to build an explosive device!
Meaning
to change expression to show emotion
Add an Adjective
The phrase 'zrobić minę' is rarely used alone. Always add an adjective like 'dziwną', 'smutną', or 'wesołą' to make it meaningful.
Watch the Ending
Don't forget the 'ę' in 'minę'. If you say 'zrobić mina', it sounds like you are trying to build an explosive device!
Use 'Strzelić' for Impact
If you want to sound like a native speaker describing a funny or shocking reaction, use 'strzelić minę' instead of 'zrobić'.
Test Yourself
Fill in the blank with the correct form of 'mina' and the adjective 'kwaśny'.
Kiedy zupa okazała się przesolona, Marek zrobił ________ ________.
We need the Accusative feminine singular form.
Which verb is most natural for a sudden, informal reaction?
Ale on ________ minę, kiedy to usłyszał!
'Strzelić minę' is a very common informal idiom for a sudden reaction.
Match the adjective to the situation.
1. Tasting a lemon, 2. Seeing a ghost, 3. Hearing a joke
These are the most logical emotional pairings.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Dlaczego robisz taką smutną minę? B: ________
A 'smutna mina' (sad face) matches a negative state like being hungry.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Common Adjectives for 'zrobić minę'
Positive
- • wesoła
- • radosna
- • uśmiechnięta
Negative
- • kwaśna
- • smutna
- • zła
Surprised
- • zdziwiona
- • zszokowana
- • dziwna
Practice Bank
4 exercisesKiedy zupa okazała się przesolona, Marek zrobił ________ ________.
We need the Accusative feminine singular form.
Ale on ________ minę, kiedy to usłyszał!
'Strzelić minę' is a very common informal idiom for a sudden reaction.
1. Tasting a lemon, 2. Seeing a ghost, 3. Hearing a joke
These are the most logical emotional pairings.
A: Dlaczego robisz taką smutną minę? B: ________
A 'smutna mina' (sad face) matches a negative state like being hungry.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsNo, it can be positive (wesoła mina) or neutral (zdziwiona mina), though it is very often used for funny or 'sour' expressions.
Yes! You can say 'Mój pies zrobił śmieszną minę'. It's very common in pet videos.
The plural is 'robić miny'. We usually use the imperfective 'robić' for the plural because it implies multiple actions.
It's a bit too informal for a formal email. Use 'wyrazić zaniepokojenie' (express concern) instead.
It literally means 'sour face', like the face you make when eating a lemon.
You can say 'zrobić nadąsaną minę' or simply 'dąsać się'.
Yes, they both share roots related to imitation and facial expression.
Yes, but it's more natural to just say 'uśmiechnąć się'.
A 'mina' is a general expression; a 'grymas' is usually a painful or ugly distortion of the face.
No, because a statue doesn't 'do' anything. You would say 'posąg ma... minę'.
Related Phrases
robić dobrą minę do złej gry
builds onto put on a brave face
stroić miny
similarto pull faces
mieć minę nie z tej ziemi
specialized formto have an out-of-this-world expression
wykrzywić się
similarto grimace
uśmiechnąć się
contrastto smile
