miło cię poznać
The English phrase "nice to meet you" is translated into Polish as miło cię poznać.
miło cię poznać is a polite expression used when meeting someone for the first time.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase miło cię poznać literally translates to "nice you to meet".
Which one should you use?
The default form miło cię poznać uses the informal cię, which should only be used with people your own age or younger in casual settings.
How does it change in a sentence?
When speaking to a man in a formal setting, replace cię with pana (e.g., miło pana poznać). When speaking to a woman in a formal setting, replace cię with panią (e.g., miło panią poznać). If you are speaking to a group of people or a couple in a formal setting, replace cię with państwa (e.g., miło państwa poznać).
When do people say it?
When someone says miło cię poznać to you, a common way to respond is Mnie również, which means "Me too" or "Likewise".
Did you know?
- The word miło shares a distant linguistic ancestor with the English word 'mild', both tracing back to the Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'pleasant' or 'gentle'.
- In very formal Polish settings, you might avoid miło cię poznać entirely and instead use a phrase expressing honor, such as mam zaszczyt pana poznać, which means 'I have the honor to meet you'.
- In a traditional Polish handshake, the person of higher social status or older age is usually the one to initiate the gesture when saying miło pana poznać.
Examples in context
- Mam na imię Cyril. Miło Cię poznać.My name's Cyril. Nice to meet you.This sentence is useful for introducing yourself and using the form miło cię poznać.Tatoeba #2287439 by gadeon, translation #1346838 by CN
- Cześć, miło cię poznać.Hi, nice to meet you.
- Bardzo miło cię poznać, Anno.It is very nice to meet you, Anna.
Example conversation
Paweł and Anna are meeting at a friend's party.
- PawełCześć, jestem Paweł.Hi, I am Paweł.
- AnnaCześć, ja jestem Anna.Hi, I am Anna.
- PawełMiło cię poznać, Anno.Nice to meet you, Anna.
- AnnaMnie również miło cię poznać.It is nice to meet you too.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries miło, poznać, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
