# Like death warmed up...



## Cynthia F

Cześć

I wonder if there is a saying in Polish which is similar to the one in England which is "...like death warmed up."

Which means you feel (or possibly look) absolutely terrible, horrible - ill, unwell, pale, maybe gaunt etc. For example you might have the flu, or a rotten cold.

Or could you please tell me what the translation of such as saying might be?

For example:

I feel like death warmed up.
You look like death warmed up
What's up with XXX? She/he looks like death warmed up! (bit insulting really, and you probably wouldn't say it to someone, unless you knew them very well!)

dziękuję bardzo


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## BezierCurve

Hi

As for the looks, it's quite close in translation:

*Wyglądasz jak śmierć.* / *Jesteś blady* (f. *blada*) *jak śmierć.* 
(you look like death / you're pale as death)

When it comes to how one feels, I can think only of one which is not rude:

*Czuję się do niczego.* (I feel [good] for nothing).

So:

I feel like death warmed up.
*Czuję się do niczego.* 

You look like death warmed up.
*Wyglądasz jak śmierć.* / *Jesteś blady* (f. *blada*) *jak śmierć.* 

What's up with XXX? She/he looks like death warmed up! 
*Co jest z XXX*?* *Wygląda jak śmierć.* (both genders)/ *Jest blady* (f. *blada*) *jak śmierć.* 

I'm sure there will be more propositions.

EDIT:
*) XXX should be used in instrumental case here, or, alternatively, you can omit "z" and put XXX into dative.


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## Cynthia F

Thank you BezierCurve.

How rude would the Feeling like death alternatives be? I'd be interested to know, as long as no-one will get offended!


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## BezierCurve

"Czuję się do niczego." is not rude at all, maybe just a bit informal. But no-one will get offended with it.  

The stronger version would be "*Czuję się do dupy*." _(lit.: I feel [good] for an arse/ I feel shitty)_, which is very popular, but considered very rude at the same time (aren't we little hypocrites?). I'm sure you'd be able to tell if the circumstances are suitable to use it yourself.


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## Cynthia F

Thank you!


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## Thomas1

wyglądać jak trzy ćwierci do śmierci -- this may be the equivalent of your to look like death warmed up; you don't hear it very often, but it's understandable enough to be used without someone's misunderstanding, it's also a tad humorous like the English expression is (at least I assume so).

A similar expression: wyglądać jak śmierć na chorągwi -- literally: to look like death on a flag; to look very bad or pale.

być nie w sosie -- to have a bad mood, to feel out of sorts, to be grouchy

być połamanym/ czuć sie jak połamany -- to feel pain in your bones, to be very tired and sore, to be aching all over

nie czuję nóg -- my legs ache terribly, to be very tired (literally: I'm not able to feel my legs)

Kiepsko/źle się czuję. -- I don't feel very well/I feel crummy/lousy (this one is often used in everyday Polish, kiepsko being more colloquial)

biały jak ściana -- as white as sheet, someone who looks ill/sick

If you want to be ironic and taunt someone, you may use: chory na śmierć, a zjadłby ćwierć (literally: [he's] ill with death, and [he] would eat a fourth.


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## Cynthia F

dziękuję Thomas1


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## kknd

Those were quite new to me: my sincere thanks for that too!


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## Amerykańska kobieta

This isn't going to change the Polish translation, but in USA English the expression is:

"I feel like death warmed over."


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## Slovianka

"Wygląda jak z krzyża zdjęty" - he looks as if taken down from a cross. It may mean - very pale, ill, exhausted, very sad. You may use this safey - you will not offfend Christians.
May be used in the 2nd or 3rd person, often you will hear this expression in the past tense, when someone is recalling a situation.


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## Cynthia F

dziękuję  Slovianka


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