cześć
/ˈt͡ʂɛɕt͡ɕ/
cześć is the Polish way to say hi or hello.
The word cześć is used as an informal greeting to say hello or goodbye to friends and family. It functions as a way to say 'hi' or 'hello'.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, the noun cześć means 'honor' or 'glory', though in this context it is used as a greeting.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
cześć is an informal greeting used with people you know well. In formal situations, such as when speaking with strangers or elders, you should use dzień dobry instead. Another informal option for greeting friends is siema.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtʂɛɕtɕ/
Did you know?
- In a historical context, addressing someone with cześć was much more literal, as if you were actually offering them your honor or respect.
- The greeting cześć shares a distant linguistic ancestor with the English word 'honor' through the concept of being 'worthy' or 'fit'.
- In formal Polish, the concept of 'honor' expressed by cześć is replaced by titles, as using an informal greeting with a superior can be interpreted as a deliberate social insult.
Examples in context
- Hej, co u ciebie słychać?Hey, what's up with you?
- Siema, grałeś już w nową grę komputerową?Hi, have you played the new video game yet?
- Cześć, co u ciebie słychać?Hi, how are you doing?
- Cześć wszystkim, miło was widzieć.Hello everyone, it is nice to see you.
- Muszę już iść, cześć!I have to go now, bye!
Example conversation
Two friends meet at a cafe.
- MałgorzataCześć, Krzysztof!Hi, Krzysztof!
- KrzysztofCześć, Małgorzato! Jak się masz?Hi, Małgorzata! How are you?
- MałgorzataWszystko dobrze, dziękuję.Everything is fine, thank you.
- KrzysztofSuper. Chodźmy do środka.Great. Let's go inside.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry cześć, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cześć, CC BY-SA 4.0.
