dzień dobry
/ˈd͡ʑɛɲ ˈdɔ.brɘ/
dzień dobry is the Polish way to say "good afternoon".
Although it literally translates to "good day", it serves as the polite way to say "good afternoon" in English.
Meaning: greeting said in the afternoon (phrase)
Which one should you use?
dzień dobry is the appropriate choice for formal or polite interactions, whereas cześć is the version used for informal greetings among friends and peers.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
dzień dobry is a formal greeting. It is the standard polite way to address strangers, elders or people in professional settings.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈdʑɛɲ ˈdɔ.brɘ/. It has 3 syllables and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- The word order of dzień dobry was intentionally swapped from dobry dzień to stop people in rural areas from pronouncing the two words as a single combined word.
- In Poland, it is common to say dzień dobry when entering a small shop or elevator even if you do not know the other people present.
- The word dobry shares an ancient root with the English word 'good'. They both trace back to the Proto-Indo-European word for 'building' or 'fitting', implying that something 'good' is something well-made.
Examples in context
- Dzień dobry, Panie Kowalski.Good afternoon, Mr. Kowalski.
- Dzień dobry, jak się pan ma?Good afternoon, how are you?
- Dzień dobry, czy mogę prosić o kawę?Good afternoon, may I have a coffee?
- Dzień dobry wszystkim w biurze.Good afternoon to everyone in the office.
Example conversation
Anna enters a small cafe where Tomasz is working.
- AnnaDzień dobry, czy jest wolny stolik?Good afternoon, is there a free table?
- TomaszDzień dobry, tak, proszę usiąść tutaj.Good afternoon, yes, please sit here.
- AnnaDziękuję bardzo.Thank you very much.
- TomaszNie ma za co.You're welcome.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good afternoon” translations and entries dzień dobry, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dobry, dzień, dzień dobry, CC BY-SA 4.0.
