Ways to say it
| Polish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| cześć | /ˈt͡ʂɛɕt͡ɕ/ /ˈt͡ʂɛɕ/ |
informal |
| witajcie | /viˈtaj.t͡ɕɛ/ | |
| siema | /ˈɕɛ.ma/ | informal |
| czołem | /ˈt͡ʂɔ.wɛm/ | |
| halo | /ˈxa.lɔ/ | |
| serwus | /ˈsɛr.vus/ | colloquial |
| cześka | colloquial | |
| siemanero | colloquial | |
| hej | /ˈxɛj/ | |
| elo | /ˈɛ.lɔ/ |
Polish uses different greetings depending on whether you are addressing friends, answering a phone or using slang. While cześć is the standard informal greeting, siema is a very common slang greeting among young people, often used instead of a standard hello. Hej is a colloquial loanword from English and is used informally to get someone's attention or as a casual greeting. The word halo is not a general greeting. It is used specifically to answer the phone or to call out to someone to see if they are present, rather than as a general greeting.
What does it mean word for word?
The greeting czołem literally means 'with the forehead', derived from a military salute.
Which one should you use?
Use cześć for friends and peers, but avoid it with strangers or superiors in formal settings.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The most common and universally recognized way to say "hello" in Polish is Dzień dobry. The most common way to say "hello" informally in Polish is cześć, which you should use with friends and peers, but avoid it with strangers or superiors in formal settings. Serwus is a colloquial greeting that carries a slightly old-fashioned or friendly, casual tone. Slang forms like siema, cześka and siemanero are colloquial.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtʂɛɕtɕ/
Did you know?
- The greeting serwus is a loanword from Latin 'servus', meaning 'slave' or 'servant', reflecting an old-fashioned way of saying 'at your service'.
- The word cześć is unique because it is used as both a greeting when arriving and a farewell when leaving.
- The word siemanero is a modern, playful extension of siema that mimics the sound of Spanish words to seem more exotic or funny.
Examples in context
- Cześć, jak się masz?Hello, how are you?This sentence shows how to use cześć in a greeting.Tatoeba #349418 by zipangu, translation #138868 by CK
- Cześć, to jest Mike.Hello, this is Mike.This sentence uses cześć to introduce someone.Tatoeba #349419 by zipangu, translation #30980 by CN
- Halo, jest tam ktoś?Hello, is anyone there?This sentence demonstrates how to use halo to check if someone is present.Tatoeba #11731000 by mojeanin, translation #12084124 by sundown
- Dzień dobry, miło mi tu byćHello, it's nice to be here.
- Cześć! Jak się masz?Hello! How are you?
- 22 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Krzysztof and Anna meet in a park.
- KrzysztofCześć, Anna!Hello, Anna!
- AnnaCześć, Krzysztof. Co słychać?Hi, Krzysztof. How are things?
- KrzysztofWszystko w porządku.Everything is fine.
- AnnaTo bardzo dobrze.That is very good.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hello” translations and entries cześć, witajcie, siema, czołem, halo, serwus, hej, elo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
