dzień dobry
/ˈd͡ʑɛɲ ˈdɔ.brɘ/
The English phrase "good morning" is translated into Polish as dzień dobry.
dzień dobry is used to greet someone when you see them for the first time in the morning. While it is used for "good morning", it literally translates to "good day" and serves as an appropriate way to greet someone in the morning.
Meaning: when seeing someone for the first time in the morning (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase consists of dzień and dobry, which is a masculine singular adjective meaning "good".
Which one should you use?
While the phrase dobry dzień is grammatically possible, it is not used as a standard greeting like dzień dobry.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
dzień dobry is the standard polite and formal way to greet someone during the day.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word dobry is the masculine singular form of the adjective meaning "good".
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈdʑɛɲ ˈdɔ.brɘ/. The phrase has 3 syllables, and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- The word order of dzień dobry was intentionally flipped from dobry dzień to stop people in rural areas from merging the two words into a single sound.
- If you use dzień dobry with a friend, it might sound strangely formal, as friends usually use much more casual greetings.
- While dzień dobry is used for 'good morning', it is actually the standard greeting for almost the entire daylight period until sunset.
Examples in context
- Sułtan zobaczył pająka i powiedział: "Dzień dobry".The sultan saw a spider and said, "Good morning."This sentence shows the use of dzień dobry in a narrative context.Tatoeba #9463660 by Shounen, translation #9463661 by Shounen
- Dzień dobry!Good morning.This sentence shows dzień dobry as a standalone greeting.Tatoeba #403047 by zipangu, translation #2258234 by _undertoad
- Dzień dobry, Mike.Good morning, Mike.This sentence shows how to use dzień dobry when addressing someone by name.Tatoeba #552915 by Bilberry, translation #64918 by CN
- Dobrego ranka, Panie Doktorze/ Pani ProfesorGood morning, Doctor/Professor
- Dzień dobry, TomekGood morning, Tomek
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Agnieszka and Krzysztof meet in the office hallway.
- AgnieszkaDzień dobry, Krzysztof.Good morning, Krzysztof.
- KrzysztofDzień dobry, Agnieszko.Good morning, Agnieszka.
- AgnieszkaJak się dziś czujesz?How are you feeling today?
- KrzysztofBardzo dobrze, dziękuję.Very well, thank you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good morning” 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.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
