Lit. “to have it uneven (not on one level) under the roof” which translates almost exactly into “a bit lacking upstairs”. You use the expression to informally say that someone is mentally unstable or simply not very bright. At the same time, using it makes the statement a bit gentler and friendlier than saying something like “idiota”, “wariat” or outright “popierdolony”.
Poles often use this metaphor to describe a person that is a bit crazy but harmless.
Lit. “kicked by electricity/current” which is is the most common way to say that a person was electrocuted. A more formal way would be “porażony prądem” or struck/hit by electricity but in spoken language Poles prefer the personification with electricity using its figurative legs to cause damage.
Lit. “jack-style” and the “jack” referred to is the playing card, as the word “walet” is very rarely used in different contexts.
There are two main metaphorical meanings the expression is used for: 1) being naked, mostly when bathing in a lake/sea/river 2) living in a flat or student dorm without an official registration.
Lit. “to caw” – as crows do. If this verb is referred to a person then this person is being accused of being extremely pessimistic and always having a worst possible outcome in mind. This is why other, more optimistic, people taking part in the same enterprise often say “nie kracz” – don’t caw, don’t discourage us.
The expression is very popular among Poles and is the only meaning apart from the literal one. It might stem from crows’ cawing being a bad omen.
Lit. “to cut/wound a tongue/language” as in Polish the “język” noun is used to convey both meanings. The expression is a metaphor used to describe someone speaking a language poorly and making many grammatical or lexical mistakes. You can hear it when Poles talk about a foreigner trying to use their language – or a Pole speaking bad English or German.
You could also say “skaleczył się w język” – he cut/wounded his tongue – no metaphor, just bloody facts. This sentence is pretty unequivocal due to the use of reflexive form of the verb with “się” (herself/himself).
