witaj!
singular
The English phrase "welcome" is translated into Polish as witaj! Wiktionary also lists witajcie!
Meaning: greeting given upon someone's arrival (intj)
Ways to say it
| Polish | Note |
|---|---|
| witaj! | singular |
| witajcie! | plural |
This phrase is used as a greeting given upon someone's arrival. It is distinct from the adjective witany, which is used to describe a person's state. For the act of greeting someone's arrival, use the noun powitanie and for the act of affirming or greeting an arrival, use the verb witać.
Which one should you use?
While witaj! is a direct greeting upon arrival, you may also use witam to mean "I welcome".
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Use the form witaj! when welcoming exactly one person. Use the form witajcie! when welcoming more than one person.
Did you know?
- Although witaj! is used for arrivals, it is not used to say 'you are welcome' after 'thank you'. In that context, Poles use proszę or nie ma za co, which mean 'please' or 'it is nothing'.
- The word witaj! is derived from the root wit-, which is related to the word for 'knowledge' or 'knowing' in Old Slavic languages, suggesting that welcoming someone was once linked to recognizing them.
- When welcoming someone into a home, it is a common superstition in some Polish regions to shake hands only after the guest has fully crossed the threshold of the door.
Examples in context
- Witaj!Welcome!This sentence is useful for practicing the singular form witaj!Tatoeba #12240084 by polski_ren, translation #4771541 by garborg
- Witamy panią i pana w naszym sklepie.Welcome, ma'am and sir, to our store.
- Serdecznie witamy wszystkich gości na naszym weselu.We warmly welcome all the guests to our wedding.
- Witajcie, przyjaciele! Jak miło was widzieć.Welcome, friends! It's great to see you.
- Witaj! Jak się czujesz?Welcome! How are you feeling?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “welcome” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
