Dear community,
Whenever you go abroad it’s always good to learn a few basics, especially when you’re moving there. In this post, you will find a lesson on basic greetings in Polish that, when used, will surely be appreciated by locals.
Greetings Lesson:
Hello (informal) – Cześć
Good day – Dzień dobry (we don't make good morning-good afternoon distinctions in greetings!)
Good evening – Dobry wieczór (we use this one usually when it gets dark)
Goodbye – Do widzenia
Bye (informal) – Cześć (yes, just like 'Hi')
My name is … – Mam na imię... (followed by your name) or Nazywam się... (usually followed by name and surname)
What is your name? – Jak masz na imię? (informal), Jak się Pan nazywa? (formal, masculine) Jak się Pani nazywa? (formal, feminine)
How are you? (informal) – Jak się masz? or Co słychać? ('What's new?' literally: 'What can be heard?')
Please, here you are – Proszę (both when making requests and when, for instance, giving something to someone)
Thank you – Dziękuję or, informally: Dzięki
Excuse me, sorry – Przepraszam (both for 'excuse me' and 'sorry'), you may also hear informal sory (with Polish pronunciation) for both 'excuse me' and 'sorry'
Cultural notes:
- we usually don't say nice to meet you, some people may just say miło mi (it's a pleasure) but it's still quite rare, sometimes 'nice to meet you' may sound a bit artificial, so don't worry, you're not going to sound rude if you don't say this phrase!
- we don't use how are you the way English speakers do, in Polish it's not a greeting but an actual question you ask when you want to know how someone feels - we just don't throw it around! If you ask a Pole "how are you?" or "what's new?" be prepared to hear a more elaborate reply detailing recent events from someone's life! (of course, also this is slowly changing with younger generations but please be aware that this phrase doesn't work like in English!) if the person you talk to speaks other languages and is aware of different cultures they may give you a more standard answer.
I hope you enjoyed this lesson! Let me know in the comments below if you have already used some greetings in Polish and how the locals reacted.
Warm regards,
David, OLS Community Manager – Polish