Ways to say it
| Polish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| koleś | /ˈkɔ.lɛɕ/ | |
| gość | /ˈɡɔɕt͡ɕ/ /ˈɡɔɕt͡ɕ/ (Middle, Polish) |
masculine |
| gościu | /ˈɡɔɕ.t͡ɕu/ | masculine |
| gostek | /ˈɡɔs.tɛk/ | masculine |
| ziomek | /ˈʑɔ.mɛk/ | masculine |
| ziomal | /ˈʑɔ.mal/ | masculine |
| zią | masculine | |
| gościara | feminine | |
| kolesiówna | feminine | |
| facet | /ˈfa.t͡sɛt/ | masculine |
| facio | /ˈfa.t͡ɕɔ/ | masculine |
| ziomuś | masculine | |
| chłop | /ˈxwɔp/ /ˈxɫɔp/ (Middle, Polish) |
masculine, sometimes |
The terms in this list are used colloquially to refer to a man.
Which one should you use?
The word gość is used colloquially to mean "dude", but its primary literal meaning is "guest". For a more slangy, peer-oriented way to say "dude" compared to the more general koleś, you can use ziomek. The word facet is a common, slightly more neutral way to refer to a guy or a fellow than the slangy koleś. If you want to sound even friendlier, you can use the form koleszka instead of koleś.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Most of these terms are informal or slang. Koleś and facet are common informal/neutral ways to say guy or dude. Kumpel is an informal way to say buddy or mate. The term stary is an informal term of address used between male friends. While gość can be used colloquially, its standard meaning is "guest".
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When addressing someone directly using the word chłop, you must use the vocative form chłopie.
When do people say it?
In informal settings among male friends, stary is frequently used as a term of address, similar to how English speakers use "dude" or "man".
Did you know?
- The word gościara is a slang term for a person, but it is specifically used to refer to a woman.
- The word gość shares a common ancestor with the English word 'guest', as well as the word 'host'.
- The word ziomek is part of a family of very informal slang words, including ziom, ziomal, and ziomuś, all building on the same root.
Examples in context
- Chłopie, impreza była zajebista!That party was off the hook, dude!This sentence shows the use of the word chłop in a vocative context to address someone directly.Tatoeba #629879 by zipangu, translation #523575 by FeuDRenais
- Hej kumpel, co u ciebie słychać? Spotkamy się w parku?Hey dude, what's up? Shall we meet at the park?
- Ten koleś jest bardzo zabawny.That dude is very funny.
Example conversation
Katarzyna and Tomasz are talking about a guy they met at a party.
- KatarzynaKto był tym dziwnym kolesiem na imprezie?Who was that weird dude at the party?
- TomaszTo był nowy sąsiad z drugiego piętra.That was the new neighbor from the second floor.
- KatarzynaOn wydawał się trochę zagubiony.He seemed a bit lost.
- TomaszTak, ten koleś zawsze tak wygląda.Yeah, that dude always looks like that.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dude” translations and entries koleś, gość, gościu, gostek, ziomek, ziomal, facet, facio, chłop, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gostek, gościu, gość, koleś, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
