cześć piękna
/ˈt͡ʂɛɕt͡ɕ ˈpjɛŋk.na/word by word
The English phrase "hello beautiful" is translated into Polish as cześć piękna.
This is an informal greeting used to address a woman in a complimentary or flirtatious way.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the informal greeting cześć (hi/hello) and the feminine nominative adjective piękna (beautiful).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The greeting cześć is informal. It should not be used in formal settings or with strangers unless a flirtatious or very casual tone is intended.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form piękna is the nominative singular feminine form, which is used here to address someone. In modern colloquial Polish, the nominative form is often retained when used as a vocative. If you wish to address a man, you must change the adjective to the masculine form piękny (cześć piękny).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtʂɛɕtɕ ˈpjɛŋk.na/. The first of three syllables is stressed.
Did you know?
- Beyond greetings, cześć also means 'honor' or 'glory' in Polish, such as in the phrase cześć Boża ('God's honor').
- If you use cześć piękny to address a man, it is often interpreted as a joke or a playful tease rather than a sincere compliment.
- The letter 'ś' in cześć is a voiceless alveolo-palatal sibilant, a sound that doesn't exist in English and requires the tongue to be flatter against the palate.
Examples in context
- Cześć Piękności! Jak minął Ci dzień?Hi beauty! How was your day?
- Cześć piękna, jak ci mija dzień?Hello beautiful, how is your day going?
- Cześć piękna, wyglądasz dziś cudownie.Hello beautiful, you look wonderful today.
- Hej, cześć piękna!Hey, hello beautiful!
Example conversation
Paweł greets Anna when they meet at a cafe.
- AnnaCześć, Paweł!Hi, Paweł!
- PawełCześć piękna, bardzo miło cię widzieć.Hello beautiful, it is very nice to see you.
- AnnaDziękuję, ty też wyglądasz świetnie.Thank you, you look great too.
- PawełChcesz usiąść ze mną?Do you want to sit with me?
