Cześć, jak się masz?
/ˈt͡ʂɛɕt͡ɕ ˈjak ɕɛ ˈmaʂ/word by word
The Polish phrase for "hello how are you" is Cześć, jak się masz?
This phrase is a common greeting used to start a conversation and ask about someone's well-being. When someone asks how you are, you can respond with dobrze (good or fine) or bardzo dobrze. If you are not feeling particularly well, you can say nie najlepiej (not the best). To reciprocate the question, you can add a ty? (and you?).
Which one should you use?
While Cześć alone can mean both "hello" and "goodbye" in informal settings, the full phrase Cześć, jak się masz? specifically initiates an inquiry into a person's well-being.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For formal situations, it is more appropriate to use Dzień dobry (good day) to say hello. If you are greeting someone informally, you might also use the word siema.
How does it change in a sentence?
When speaking to a stranger or a superior, you should not use the informal jak się masz. Instead, use the formal jak się pan ma when addressing a man or jak się pani ma when addressing a woman.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtʂɛɕtɕ ˈjak ɕɛ ˈmaʂ/
When do people say it?
A standard and polite way to respond to the question jak się masz? is Dobrze, dziękuję (Good, thank you).
Did you know?
- The word cześć is actually a noun in its oldest form, meaning 'honor' or 'respect', which was later turned into a greeting.
- Although jak się masz? asks about well-being, Poles often answer with tak sobie, which translates to 'so-so' or 'just okay'.
- The slang greeting siema is a shortened version of siema co słychać, which literally asks 'what is heard'.
Examples in context
- Cześć, jak się masz?Hello, how are you?
