{"id":176590833,"date":"2023-09-15T09:10:24","date_gmt":"2023-09-15T16:10:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lingq.com\/blog-new\/?p=176590833"},"modified":"2025-05-26T15:41:27","modified_gmt":"2025-05-26T22:41:27","slug":"hello-in-polish","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lingq.com\/blog\/hello-in-polish\/","title":{"rendered":"Say Hello in Polish (and Say Goodbye Too)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Saying \u201cHello\u201d and \u201cGoodbye\u201d in a language is essential for any conversation. There are numerous ways to say hello in Polish and to bid farewell, depending on the level of formality of a conversation and other factors.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The Informal Way to Say Hello in Polish<\/b><\/h2>\n

Cze\u015b\u0107! <\/b><\/h3>\n

\u201c<\/span>Cze\u015b\u0107!<\/b>\u201d is the most popular way of saying \u201cHello!\u201d to friends and people you know well. It\u2019s also the safest one to use and will work for all age groups. You can also add someone\u2019s name after it, when greeting one person e.g. \u201c<\/span>Cze\u015b\u0107 Agnieszka<\/b>!\u201d. When entering a room full of people you can say \u201c<\/span>Cze\u015b\u0107 wszystkim<\/b>!\u201d, which means \u201cHello everyone!\u201d. <\/span>
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Siema!<\/b><\/h3>\n

Another popular Polish expression used for saying \u201cHello\u201d is \u201c<\/span>Siema!<\/b>\u201d. It\u2019s particularly used by young people. Sometimes you may hear other forms of it such as \u201c<\/span>Siemano!<\/b>\u201d and \u201c<\/span>Siemanko!<\/b>\u201d. <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

Hej!<\/b><\/h3>\n

Yet another way of saying \u201cHello!\u201d, used mostly by young people, is \u201c<\/span>Hej!<\/b>\u201d. You can also encounter a different form of this greeting, \u201c<\/span>Hejka!<\/b>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

Elo!<\/b><\/h3>\n

The greeting \u201c<\/span>Elo!<\/b>\u201d is derived from the English \u201cHello!\u201d and is used solely by young people.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

Jo\u0142!<\/b><\/h3>\n

\u201c<\/span>Jo\u0142\u201d<\/b> is also derived from English and is pronounced exactly like \u201cYo\u201d. The spelling is different to make it more Polish friendly (it\u2019s a so-called \u201c<\/span>spolszczenie<\/b>\u201d). As you\u2019ve probably already guessed, it\u2019s used mostly by young Poles.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Say<\/span>
\n<\/b><\/p>\n

Czo\u0142em! <\/b><\/h3>\n

\u201c<\/span>Czo\u0142em!<\/b>\u201d is a bit archaic but some people still use it. It\u2019s an everyday greeting among scouts. <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

Serwus!<\/b><\/h3>\n

Personally, I find \u201c<\/span>Serwus!<\/b>\u201d a bit unnatural but I have met people who use it on regular basis.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

Witam!\/Witaj!<\/b><\/h3>\n

Both expressions are used as a way of greeting someone, especially when welcoming them in your house.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The Formal Way to Say Hello in Polish
\n<\/b><\/h2>\n

Dzie\u0144 dobry<\/b><\/h3>\n

\u201c<\/span>Dzie\u0144 dobry<\/b>\u201d is an exact equivalent of \u201cGood Day\u201d in English. It can be used throughout the day to greet anyone you don\u2019t know well or people with whom you\u2019re formal for whatever reason. It\u2019s considered polite to use it as you enter a corner shop (but no need to shout it in a supermarket ;)). You can also say <\/span>Dzie\u0144 dobry Pani<\/b> to a woman (Good Day, Ma\u2019am) and <\/span>Dzie\u0144 dobry Panu<\/b> to a man (Good Day, Sir).<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

Dobry wiecz\u00f3r<\/b><\/h3>\n

In the evening you should replace \u201cDzie\u0144 dobry\u201d with \u201c<\/span>Dobry wiecz\u00f3r<\/b>\u201d. This should come quite naturally to you as an English speaker – it\u2019s an equivalent of \u201cGood evening\u201d. Similarly like in the case of \u201cDzie\u0144 Dobry\u201d you can say <\/span>Dobry wiecz\u00f3r Pani<\/b> to a woman and <\/span>Dobry wiecz\u00f3r Panu<\/b> to a man. There\u2019s no special Polish way to greet people in the afternoon. You can wish someone a nice afternoon, however, by saying \u201c<\/span>Mi\u0142ego popo\u0142udnia!<\/b>\u201d<\/span>
\n\"Say<\/span><\/p>\n

Special Greetings<\/b><\/h2>\n

Poland is considered a deeply Catholic country. It may be less and less true these days, however, you may still hear certain religious greetings. You\u2019re more likely to encounter them outside of big cities and in some regions of the country (for instance, in Silesia).<\/span><\/p>\n

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Szcz\u0119\u015b\u0107 Bo\u017ce!<\/b><\/p>\n

This expression is roughly translated as \u201cGod bless you\u201d. \u201c<\/span>Szcz\u0119\u015b\u0107 Bo\u017ce!<\/b>\u201d is sometimes used by Catholics, especially if dealing with a priest or another representative of the Church.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"Learn<\/a><\/p>\n

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Niech b\u0119dzie pochwalony Jezus Chrystus!<\/b><\/h3>\n

This greeting means \u201cPraise be Jesus Christ!\u201d. You\u2019re more likely to hear it in a shortened version \u201c<\/span>Pochwalony Jezus Chrystus<\/b>\u201d or even \u201c<\/span>Pochwalony<\/b>\u201d. The appropriate reply to this is \u201c<\/span>Na wieki wiek\u00f3w<\/b>\u201d or \u201c<\/span>Na wieki wiek\u00f3w, amen<\/b>\u201d, which means \u201cFor all eternity\u201d. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"Say<\/span><\/p>\n

Informal Ways of Saying Goodbye<\/b><\/h2>\n

Cze\u015b\u0107!<\/b><\/h3>\n

Good news! The expression used for greeting people, which you\u2019ve already learned, can be also used to bid farewell. Sometimes you may encounter its slightly different form \u201c<\/span>No to cze\u015b\u0107!<\/b>\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Na razie!<\/b><\/p>\n

This expression translates as \u201cSee you!\u201d and is often used in its abbreviated forms \u201c<\/span>Nara!<\/b>\u201d and \u201c<\/span>Narka!<\/b>\u201d. All of these versions are widely used among young people.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Pa!<\/b> and <\/span>Pa, pa!<\/b><\/p>\n

The closest equivalents of \u201c<\/span>Pa!<\/b>\u201d and \u201c<\/span>Pa, pa!<\/b>\u201d is \u201cBye!\u201d and \u201cBye, bye!\u201d, respectively. These expressions are used indiscriminately by people of all ages in the informal context.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Do zobaczenia!<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>Do zobaczenia!<\/b>\u201d is another way of saying \u201cSee you!\u201d. Particularly the younger generation uses the shortened version of this expression and says \u201c<\/span>Do zo!<\/b>\u201d. \u201c<\/span>Do<\/b>\u201d means \u201cuntil\u201d and is a part of other expressions used to say goodbye, such as:<\/span><\/p>\n

Do jutra!<\/b> – See you tomorrow!<\/span><\/p>\n

Do poniedzia\u0142ku!<\/b> – See you on Monday! (it will work with any other day of the week in the same way)<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>Do zobaczenia<\/b>\u201d can also get similar additions. We\u2019d say \u201c<\/span>Do zobaczenia jutro!<\/b>\u201d as another way of saying \u201cSee you tomorrow!\u201d and \u201c<\/span>Do zobaczenia w poniedzia\u0142ek!<\/b>\u201d to say \u201cSee you on Monday!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Say<\/span>
\n<\/b><\/p>\n

Mi\u0142ego weekendu!<\/b><\/h3>\n

If you\u2019re saying goodbye to your coworkers after a week of work or in any other situation when you\u2019d like to wish someone a nice weekend, you can say \u201c<\/span>Mi\u0142ego weekendu!<\/b>\u201d. You can also use a synonymous phrase \u201c<\/span>Udanego weekendu!<\/b>\u201d. Similar expressions include:<\/span><\/p>\n

Mi\u0142ego dnia!<\/b> – Have a nice day! (can be used in a more formal context)<\/span><\/p>\n

Mi\u0142ego wieczoru!<\/b> – Have a nice evening! (can be used in a more formal context)<\/span><\/p>\n

Dobrej\/Udanej zabawy!<\/b> – Have fun!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Say<\/span><\/p>\n

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Formal Expressions of Bidding Farewell<\/b><\/h2>\n

Do widzenia!<\/b><\/h3>\n

This is the most popular way of saying goodbye in all kinds of formal contexts. It means literally \u201cUntil I see you again!\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Do us\u0142yszenia!<\/b><\/h3>\n

This expression is used when finishing a phone conversation. Some people say \u201c<\/span>Do widzenia!<\/b>\u201d in this situation too but as it refers to seeing, \u201c<\/span>Do us\u0142yszenia!<\/b>\u201d, which translates literally as \u201cUntil I hear you again!\u201d is a better choice.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Writing this article has made me realize how rich in expressions Polish is when it comes to saying say hello and goodbye. For you as a language learner it\u2019s good to know, at least passively, all these expressions so that you understand what someone says to you so you know how to react. Once you feel like you’ve got a good grasp on the hellos and goodbyes, check out this post on how to say thank you in Polish<\/a> too.
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LingQ is the easiest way to learn Polish online<\/a>. At LingQ you can Import content<\/a> and learn from podcasts, YouTube videos, TV shows, etc. that you enjoy!<\/p>\n

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Want more Polish content? Polyglot and LingQ cofounder Steve Kaufmann shared his experiences on his language learning YouTube channel when he was learning Polish. Check out his videos!\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n