Wielkanoc i Śmigus-Dyngus
Easter and Wet Monday
How Poland celebrates Easter: painting pisanki eggs and blessing a basket of food on Saturday, a festive Sunday breakfast of żurek and white sausage — and the soaking free-for-all of Śmigus-Dyngus on Wet Monday.
You will practice: Reflexive and impersonal się (zaczynają się, polewają się, używano), the instrumental after nazywać (nazywamy pisankami), and trzeba + infinitive with żeby for purpose.
Words to know
Skim these before you read — they carry the story. Tap the star to add one to your saved words.
- WielkanocEaster
- świętoholiday, feast day
- obchodzićto celebrate, to observe
- przygotowaniapreparations
- malowaćto paint
- jajkoegg
- pisankapainted Easter egg
- kościółchurch
- koszyczeklittle basket
- sólsalt
- kiełbasasausage
- ksiądzpriest
- święcićto bless, to consecrate
- babkababka (an Easter cake)
- polewaćto pour over, to douse
- butelkabottle
- mokrywet
Did you get it?
5 quick questions — no grades, just a comprehension check.
1. In which season is Easter celebrated?
2. What are pisanki?
3. What does the priest do on Saturday?
4. What is Śmigus-Dyngus?
5. What do young people often use today for Śmigus-Dyngus?
Too hard? Pick an easier text in the Polish reading library. Understanding most of a text without translations is the goal — struggling through is not.