# Gra w łapki



## Hutschi

Hi, I have a small question.

What does "gra w łapki" mean?

Context: A friend asked me to help him to translate "_gra w łapki"_ into the German language. 

I'm almost sure what it means. It is a childrens play where the children build a tower with there hands. 

Is this right?

Indeed, I also search for the German word. But this is in the German forum. Here I want to make sure I did not misunderstand the polish form he declared me.

Best regards
Bernd


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## Jana337

Hi Bernd,

There's an online game with that name but I wouldn't know it without googling. http://www.mojegry.pl/MojeGry_850.html

Viel Spaß, 

Jana


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## Maroseika

Jana337 said:


> Hi Bernd,
> 
> There's an online game with that name but I wouldn't know it without googling. http://www.mojegry.pl/MojeGry_850.html
> 
> Viel Spaß,
> 
> Jana


 
Gra, zabawa w łapki «gra, zabawa dziecięca polegająca na wzajemnym uderzaniu w dłonie»

Słownik języka polskiego PWN - jest zeszytem specjalnym serii Encyklopedia Multimedialna PWN. 
Copyright © by Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN SA
Warszawa 2000


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## ryba

Maroseika said:


> Gra, zabawa w łapki «gra, zabawa dziecięca polegająca na wzajemnym uderzaniu w dłonie»



Yeah, that's it. Children clap each other's hands/palms, in turns and rythmically, I think, there must be some rules... I don't know exactly what this game consisted in, I've never seen kids do that.

Tschüß!


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## Maroseika

ryba said:


> Yeah, that's it. Children clap each other's hands/palms, in turns and rythmically, I think, there must be some rules... I don't know exactly what this game consisted in, I've never seen kids do that.
> 
> Tschüß!


This description resembles a game called in Russian "ладушки", existing in 2 variants - for babies, accompanied with the song: 
Ладушки-ладушки, где были? 
У бабушки.
Что ели? Кашку.
Что пили? (Бражку? Простоквашку? forgot...),
and another variant, very complicated due to increasing frequency of claps, consisting of the following:
1. Each of two players (staying face to face) claps with his own palms
2. The first player claps his partner's left palm with his own left palm.
3. Again p. 1
4. The first player claps his partner's right palm with his own right palm.
5. Again p. 1
6. The two players clap the palms of each other - left palm of the partner with his own left palm, and right palm - with his own right palm
7. Again p. 1
And all that faster and faster and faster.
The first to confuse (get out of rhythm), lost.

But the link given by Jana shows quite another one, looking to me much more interesting, related to the human's reaction. 
I don't think there is any special name for it in Russian.


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## Thomas1

To me they are both referred to as _gra w łapki_. However, I'd be more inclined to think of what Jana's given the link to than to the later described in Ryba's post. The simple reason is that everyone plays the former one and not many people the later (I can imagine only small kids playing the later, especially girls). I also think that the first one is more a game sensu stricto whereas the second one is rather a play.
The version testing one's reflex has subversions that require different positons of hands.


Tom


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## Hutschi

Thank you very much for giving me more insight into this area. 
I told my friend what you wrote me and sent him a link.

Best regards
and many thanks.


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## slowik

To me (and I've been living in Poland since I was born  ) _gra w łapki_ is a game in which you hold your hands above the hands of your opponent. He is trying to quickly put his hands above yours and hit them from the top. 

Do you understand me?


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## Hutschi

Hi Slowik, I understand you well. Just two questions: 

1. Can there be more than two players?
2. Do you move first you first hand, than the opponent his first hand, than you your second hand, than the opponent the second hand? Or do you move both hands at the same time?
Best regards 
Bernd


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## slowik

Hutschi said:


> 1. Can there be more than two players?


Theoretically it is possible.



Hutschi said:


> 2. Do you move first you first hand, than the opponent his first hand, than you your second hand, than the opponent the second hand? Or do you move both hands at the same time?


 
You move both hands at the same time.

Actually _gra w łapki_ isn't a game in a strict sense, or at least it's not considered a real game - it's more of a way to kill some time when you and your friend are, for example, in a long queue and you are bored. I don't think anyone is counting points when playing _gra w łapki_. It's more like thumb wrestling than, for example, hide-and-seek. I think there are several ways of playing _gra w łapki_ (one of which was shown in that flash game posted some posts before) but in my opinion the most popular way of playing it is the way that i've written.


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## Hutschi

I understand. Than it is basically a different game to the German "Händeturm" (tower of hands.)

Thank you very much.


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## Maroseika

slowik said:


> To me (and I've been living in Poland since I was born  ) _gra w łapki_ is a game in which you hold your hands above the hands of your opponent. He is trying to quickly put his hands above yours and hit them from the top.
> 
> Do you understand me?


This looks much more workable than the variant in the flash link. I tried this game with one girl and found it absolutely impossible because of her sharp nails.


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## mcibor

In my opinion it would be extremely hard to play more than 2 players.

And you move one or two hands, as you wish - just (defender) not to be slapped.

The attacker has his hands palms up and defender hoovering above with palms down.

There is a version for more people, which is considered a game:

You stand in a circle, left hand holds the next person's hand, palms are up.
While singing a song (rhyme) you clap with your right hand the left one.
When song ends you have to clap the opponent, then he goes out of the circle. When you miss, then you go out.
When it comes to two people you hold your hands like for prayer, but horizontally and in turns smooth over the other persons' hands.

The game is quite fast and as all games gives much fun and laughter

The song, as I recall goes somewhere like:

Onse, madonse, flore;
o made, o made,
o madeo deo riki tiki, 
Deo deo riki tiki 
tak.

but kill me by asking what language is that

There was also a rhyme
 ene, due, like, fake, torba, borba, usme smake, eus, deus, kosmateus i morele baks

More Polish games I found on a forum


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