The Many Polish Greetings Posted by Anna on Jul 8, 2008 in Culture
In all this excitement with grammar and country music, I totally forgot to tell you about the intricacies of Polish greetings. I realized that last night when a friend from Finland skyped me and very indirectly pointed out my oversight.
My friend is an older lady whose brand new daughter-in-law is Polish. The girl’s Polish parents came up to Finland for a visit, which brought up the subject of greetings in our conversation.
To be able to communicate with her daughter-in-law, Tiina (my friend) is busy learning Polish and understands most of the basic expressions. So I was very surprised when she said that the girl’s parents used a Polish greeting that she was not familiar with. Of course I wanted to know what it was that they said that so confused Tiina, but she didn’t remember and couldn’t ask them, because they didn’t speak any English, Finnish or Swedish.
Through the process of elimination, we determined that they didn’t say:
- Dzień dobry – which basically means “good day” and can be used from morning to afternoon, because Polish does not have a greeting for mornings only. In the evening, “dzień dobry” morphs into:
- Dobry wieczór – which means exactly “good evening”.
Those are the two most common all-purpose Polish greetings that 99% of the adult population uses. Tiina knows both phrases and was adamant the couple said something else.
Somehow I couldn’t imagine a nice Polish family visiting their daughter’s in-laws in a foreign land to come out and right off the bat say:
- Cześć! – vaguely resembling English “hello” or “hi” is normally used to greet people you know, relatives, family, kids, etc. Much too informal for the sort of meeting we were talking about. But hey, maybe it was a very relaxed family? Tiina disagreed, and besides, she knew what “cześć” meant and how to use it
- Witaj! or Witam! – even though technically meaning “welcome”, it can also be used by a person arriving at your house. It’s a bit less relaxed than “cześć” and depending on who says it and to whom, it can be either formal or not. But again, it wasn’t the greeting Tiina’s visitors had used.
I really doubted the couple had said something like:
- Jak się masz? – similar to “how are you?”, or
- Jak leci? – “what’s up?”, or
- Co słychać? – “how are things?” or something of that sort.
Tiina knew all those expressions and she was sure the people had said something else. I desperation, I asked to speak to her Polish guests directly.
“You can’t. They went out.”
Just when I was about to berate my friend for being a lousy host and letting her guests prance alone in the Finnish countryside, she explained, “their daughter took them to church.”
It turned out that in a next town over, there’s a Polish priest running a local Catholic parish, and the guests being devout Catholics (as many Poles are) wanted to say “hello” to their countryman.
The lights finally came on in my head, and now I knew what they said to Tiina that so confused her. You see, some religious people in Poland, especially people from smaller towns and villages, still use the traditional religious greetings. Sometimes such greetings are reserved for special occasions, and sometimes they are used in everyday normal speech. It depends on how traditional, or pious, a person is.
An older devout couple from a small town in Poland could have very well said something like:
- Pochwalony Jezus Chrystus – Praised Jesus Christ
Though a short version of simply “Pochwalony” is more common.
to which the proper answer is:
- Na wieki wieków – meaning “forever and ever”, or – “for all eternity”.
So there you have it, a variety of Polish greetings for every taste and occasion, from secular to religious.
If you heard something else that you think could be yet another Polish greeting, leave a comment and share with everyone! And I’ll try to explain how and when it should be used, OK?
PS. I just spoke to the Polish couple, and they indeed said “Pochwalony“. They also re-educated me about a whole slew of other religion-inspired phrases and expressions that are used by people “outside the big cities”, as they said.
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Comments:
Angharadz:
One of my new Polish friends says something that another translated as ‘may God bless you’ ?
This was actually a goodbye phrase, if that makes a difference?
It was a new one to me, and I’d love to see it written down, please? I am still in the very early stages of learning, and cannot begin to approximate what she said!
Thank you
Anna:
Hi there Angharadz!
Your friend probably said “Zostań z Bogiem” or shortened “z Bogiem” (Stay with the Lord, or – May the Lord stay with you) which is a goodbye phrase you use when you are leaving. The person staying behind should answer “Idź z Bogiem” (go with the Lord) to the one leaving.
Also, it could have been this – “szczęść Boże” which means “God bless you”, but it’s a very traditional, regional greeting in southern Poland mostly. I haven’t heard it in many years, so I didn’t include it in the main article.
Margaret Phillips:
I suppose this is so obvious that I expect you and your friend have already discounted it but…
Could it have been a variation on “Bardzo mi miło”?
Margaret Phillips
Margaret Phillips:
Having got to the comment site for the first time, I’ve just noticed the name of the first contributer. Is yours a genuine Polish name, Angharadz, or is it a nickname from the Welsh name Angharad? If it’s not a nickname, it’s the first time I’ve seen anything like the name outside of Wales. Margaret Phillips
Anna:
Hi Margaret!
Thanks for your comment! We discounted “Bardzo mi miło” as it’s more of a response to an introduction than a real greeting. I chatted with the Polish couple today, and they indeed said “Pochwalony”. They also reprimanded me for thinking that “szczęść Boże” is a regionalism and no longer used. Now I know it’s still very much in use by older generations in Silesia and elsewhere! But mainly in Silesia, they said. Lovely people, by the way. I really enjoyed talking to them! Now they want to know if I’ll set up a blog for Polish people to learn English! 🙂
thomas westcott:
how about ” hej ” ?
Anna:
“Hej!” Thomas! 🙂
“Hej” would be in the same category as “cześć”, but even more informal, if that’s even at all possible. Borderline with trying to get someone’s attention. In other words – handle with care.
My sister can greet me with “hej”, my friend of 20 years can greet me with “hej”, but if a stranger said that to me, I’d give him an odd look and think something along the lines of an uncouth oaf with no manners.
In Swedish however, “hej” means “hello”.
Grazyna:
Lovely read again, Anna:)
It’s worth mentioning that, like in any other language, Polish is going through changes inflicted by youngsters who can be very creative about their ways of expression;) You can hear greetings, like “siema” (this one associated strongly with Jurek Owsiak, a known charity worker) or “siemanko” = I’d say it’s a bit like “howdy”. Other slangish salutation would be “dziendoberek”, which is a softer/more informal version of “dzien dobry”; “serwus”=”hiya” or “czolem”, which has origins in the military and I’d compare it with “ay!”…
Anna:
Hi G!
You beat me to it! I was going to talk about slang and creative expressions in a follow up post, because it’s easier to keep the more “formal” language and the rest separate. You know, little bite size pieces work best 😉
Grazyna:
Ohhh, oops….. sorry….! Didn’t mean to spoil your plans!:-( Will you forgive this my faux pas, Ann?
SCG:
hey nice I didnt know this greeting but I think I will start using it hehehehehehe thanks dziekuje
Vincent Kolenda:
When I was young, and I was going to church, my mother told me to say “Go With God: in polish, and when I came home from church I had to say another greeting. Could you please tell me what the two greeting are in polish? Thank you.
Wół:
Not sure if this a perversion of the above greetings, but my father and friends used to use “Pij z Bogiem” when drinking especially around the holidays. Wonder if this an American created slang expression?
Anna:
Hi Vincent!
The first one would be: “Idź z Bogiem”, and when coming back from church most likely you’d have to say “Niech będzie pochwalony Jezus Chrystus”.
I hope that other readers will chime in with their ideas, my “Christian” greetings are very rusty, they were never used in my family.
Matthew Kosciuk:
Hi,
Just found your website looking for a translation of “Prasie be Jesus Christ” we said when I went to Polish catholic school in NY in 1955-1960.
I noticed no posts for almost a year. However, in the future if you add additional post can you give a phonetic pronnounciaation for those of us that are not fluent in Polish.
David Raychek:
I remembered the beginning of a nightly prayer my father used to say. It began as my childhood memory goes; “Speezh Bogiem” As this is an ancient memory I finally searched is after all these years as “spis bogiem.” Eventually I came to this site, and knowing nothing of pronunciation, I question whether that would be a similar pronunciation to “z bogiem,” or perhaps even “Idz z,” or maybe even “szczęść.” Any help on the subject would be lovely. Thanks
Dave
KJ Palasz:
David,
My Dad would use the same phrase, along with other Polish phrases, and I too have often wondered about their meaning. He grew up in orphanages, as they wouldn’t let him speak Polish he didn’t remember much. Sorry I can’t help but I can share the conundrum. K
Basia:
I’ve read with interest comments re Polish sayings.
I’m having a problem composing a dziekuje bardzo sa prezent and card letter. My Polish is not very good as English is my main language. Can someone help me compose a few words to convey thanks for an anniversary gift and card?
Cindy:
What is the polish name for a small tote you keep close to you that contains stuff you need? Is it ” posal” ? Also, what is the Polish word for keeping busy but not really accomplishing anything? Kind of a slang word, maybe? Thanks.
Maria Karpinski:
My great grandparents were born in Poland near Opole 1800’s and settled in Opole MN 1850. “Isc (with two slashes above the s and the c) z Panem Bogem!” is the correct “Go with God.” They used it in their farm villages with a deep meaning. When someone died it was the final reverent wish. Phonetically it sounds like this: Each SPanem Bogem. The “a” is ahh or short “a” in the word Panem. The “o” is OH as in long “o” in the word Bogem. The “e” is like egg, a short vowel. My mom who was born in 1919 told me many times that her parents did not like the english translations for xmas hymns and spiritual phrases. Mom said that they were mystical and there were very heartfelt meanings behind these Polish concepts in the words and phrases. Mom told me that many Polish people lost this with the wars WWI and II and under communism. Part of my love has been to take my grandparents and parents depth and research deeper through historical resources. What I have come to learn is that “Go with God,” is a combination of Poles need for their independence which is an unbelievable value!!! Next is their interdependence on family, friends, village community, and spiritual life to survive and feed their souls!!! Celtic spirituality was the first in Poland. The Celts traveled through eastern europe and many of their nature rituals were holy, many spirits and ancestors were holy. When Xtianity tried to convert the Poles, the Poles would not budge to be converted especially by the Italian Latin speaking missionaries. As St. Francis and Clare worked in Poland, the Poles accepted their christian beliefs because of Francis devotion to animals, trees, and nature. It is published that for each church that was built in Poland, the first converts only worshiped in the side altars dedicated to Francis or Clare which had animals and trees depicted. This is why most everyday life is associated with holy. Therefore Go with God was a common wish for independence and interdependence on spiritual things in nature, people and God. Another note I found about this phrase written in a “Learn Polish” book which was written by people before WW I, “Go with God has a very deep meaning at the time of death. “Isc” is used instead of Idz because Isc as a form of Idz is used for special once in a lifetime travel. Idz is used for repetition greetings or travel. Isc means “You only have one time to Go with God when you die. z in this phrase is pronounced s but it is attached to Panem. “Each sPanem Bogem.” Phoenetically.
or Isc z Panem Bogem, in Polish. The s and c in Isc has slashes above the letters, but I can’t type that here.
Because Polish independence is so important, the term Isc here means, you have a choice, you have free will to travel to a long destiny, you may bring things, you will be seeing loved ones. Therefore Myrtle is often placed around the head of a deceased loved one in the casket to send them. Myrtle is nature that is mystical, holy, reverant. Poles treasure countryside, farm fields, trees, as their daily church. Poles treasure community too, so drinking beer was holy. Pij z Bogem, drink with God. The deep meaning of this phrase really is, “Only once do you travel to this Mystical destiny where your loved ones are in heaven. Go with Sir ( to show reverence that of all the mystical spirits in nature, God is the greatest creator of all Panem Bogem, the em is used with a proper reverant name) God. Together you will travel tenderly there. So as not to confuse anyone, Isc z Panem Bogem is the one time at death that your spiritual self can travel on to be with your beloved and you get to make a choice to go with God there. Many of your friends and family have been wishing you this all through your life with the repetitive use of Idz. But Isc is a once in a life time, one way travel to a special destiny.
Jan:
Maria Karpinski writes sheer nonsense. Neither St. Francis and
St. Clare were never in Poland. Christianity came to Poland through the marriage of Mieszko and Dabrowa of Bohemia in 966. The expression ” z Panem Bogiem” means “Go with God”, A Dios! ” God speed”
Dorothy Vallerio:
Question: The greeting “Niek bedzia pochwalony Jezus Chrystus – When is it proper to use it. Any time the speaker wishes – When greeting relatives or older people – or is it to greet a Priest or Nun only. Many Thanks, Dorothy Vallerio
Thaddeus Figlock:
Proper use is on return from Mass, presuming that Holy Communion has been received and the one returning home bears Christ with him.
John Harrogate:
Awesome, I’m really interested in notaries and legalisation! Maybe you should do a post on the similarities between a notary and a witness?
http://www.mynotarypubliclondon.com/notary-public-document-legalisation-and-apostille-services/