Significado
to persist despite obstacles
Contexto cultural
The phrase is often linked to the 'Polish Spirit' (polski duch), which emphasizes endurance and fighting against all odds, even when defeat seems certain. Commentators use this phrase constantly to describe athletes like Robert Lewandowski or Iga Świątek, reinforcing the idea that a true champion never quits. In the post-1989 capitalist era, this phrase has become a mantra for entrepreneurs who had to build businesses from scratch in a volatile economy. Romantic-era poets like Mickiewicz often portrayed heroes who 'nie dają za wygraną' in their struggle for national independence.
Use it for praise
If you want to impress a Polish boss or friend, use this to describe their hard work. It sounds much more sophisticated than just saying 'pracujesz ciężko'.
Watch the 'ą'
Make sure you pronounce the nasal 'ą' at the end of 'wygraną'. If you say 'wygrana', it sounds like the nominative case and breaks the idiom.
Significado
to persist despite obstacles
Use it for praise
If you want to impress a Polish boss or friend, use this to describe their hard work. It sounds much more sophisticated than just saying 'pracujesz ciężko'.
Watch the 'ą'
Make sure you pronounce the nasal 'ą' at the end of 'wygraną'. If you say 'wygrana', it sounds like the nominative case and breaks the idiom.
Stubbornness vs. Persistence
In Poland, being 'uparty' (stubborn) can be negative, but 'nie dać za wygraną' is almost always seen as a positive strength of character.
Teste-se
Fill in the missing words to complete the idiom.
Mimo wielu trudności, Jan nie dał za _______.
The correct form is 'wygraną' (accusative), which is a fixed part of this idiom.
Which sentence uses the idiom correctly in a professional context?
Wybierz poprawne zdanie:
This sentence correctly uses the idiom to describe persistence leading to success.
Complete the dialogue between two friends.
A: Ten egzamin był straszny, chyba zrezygnuję ze studiów. B: Co ty mówisz? Nie _______!
The imperfective 'dawaj' is used here for general encouragement.
Match the situation to the most appropriate use of the phrase.
Match: 1. A marathon runner at mile 25. 2. Someone folding their laundry. 3. A person arguing about a 50-cent refund for an hour.
The phrase applies to both heroic persistence (marathon) and stubbornness (argument), but not to mundane tasks like laundry.
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Recursos visuais
Banco de exercicios
4 exerciciosMimo wielu trudności, Jan nie dał za _______.
The correct form is 'wygraną' (accusative), which is a fixed part of this idiom.
Wybierz poprawne zdanie:
This sentence correctly uses the idiom to describe persistence leading to success.
A: Ten egzamin był straszny, chyba zrezygnuję ze studiów. B: Co ty mówisz? Nie _______!
The imperfective 'dawaj' is used here for general encouragement.
Match: 1. A marathon runner at mile 25. 2. Someone folding their laundry. 3. A person arguing about a 50-cent refund for an hour.
The phrase applies to both heroic persistence (marathon) and stubbornness (argument), but not to mundane tasks like laundry.
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Perguntas frequentes
5 perguntasThey are very similar, but 'nie dać za wygraną' implies a more active struggle or a specific contest, whereas 'nie poddawać się' is a general 'don't give up'.
Yes, but be careful. It can mean 'not giving up on someone', but in modern times, it might sound a bit too pushy if the other person isn't interested.
It's a linguistic fossil. Even though 'nie' usually takes the genitive, this fixed idiom keeps the accusative from its historical roots.
Yes, it's perfectly acceptable in a professional context to describe persistence in business goals.
The direct opposite is 'dać za wygraną' (to give up/concede) or 'odpuścić sobie' (to let it go).
Frases relacionadas
nie poddawać się
synonymto not give up
iść w zaparte
similarto stubbornly deny something
postawić na swoim
builds onto get one's way
nie odpuszczać
synonymto not let go / not slacken
