Episode 143: When Cat Not Has, Mice Are Playing!

Gdy kota nie ma, myszy harcują.

English Phonemes: “gdih KOH-tah nyeh mah MIH-[sz]ih har-TSOO-y[ą]”

Literal Translation: When cat not has, mice are playing.

Elegant Translation: When there is no cat, the mice play.

English Equivalent: When the cat's away, the mice are at play.

This is a popular phrase. It means that when the authority figure is out, the subordinates break the rules. It’s most commonly used in Polish when parents step out to run errands and their kids make mischief in their absence.

Gdy = when, if, as
Kota = cat [noun, masc. s. obj. form]
Nie = no, not
Ma = he/she/it has [verb, 3rd. p. s., present tense]
Myszy = mice [noun, pl. f. subj. form]
Harcują = they are playing, frolicking, prancing [verb, 3rd. p. pl., present tense]

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