Are you ready to learn how to introduce yourself in Polish? When you learn Polish, how to introduce yourself is one of the most important skills to acquire, as in any language. After all, you need to be able to have a simple conversation to make new connections.

People will really appreciate your effort in trying to learn the language they speak, and thanks to this skill you’ll be able to make a good, lasting first impression.

PolishPod101.com has you covered, and we’ll teach you how to say “My name is,” in Polish, and show you how to elaborate on your conversation from there! But before we teach you how to introduce yourself in Polish phrases, let’s get started with “hello” in Polish.

Table of Contents

1. Say Hello First
2. Learn How to Introduce Yourself in Polish
3. Context Matters: Learn about How to Introduce Yourself in Polish in Different Situations
4. Introducing Others
5. How to Get Better at Introducing Yourself and Others in Polish
6. Final Thoughts

1. Say Hello First

In Polish, the way you speak to someone will differ, depending on the person you’re talking to. The formal way of introducing yourself in the Polish language is used with older people, your superiors at work, and strangers. The informal way of introducing yourself in the Polish language, on the other hand, can be used with people your age, acquaintances, and friends.

If in doubt, it’s always better to be overly formal than to risk offending someone. In general, the person who’s older should be the one to suggest that you use the informal way of addressing them.

1- “Hello” in Polish for Informal Introductions

– Cześć!

This is the most popular word used to say “hello” and “goodbye” in Polish to people you’re informal with. This is a perfect phrase to say before you introduce yourself in basic Polish.

– Hejka!

This is an equally popular way of saying “hello,” but is mostly used by young people.

2- “Hello” in Polish for Formal Introductions

– Dzień dobry

This is the most widespread way of saying “hello” with people you’re formal with. You can use it during the day.

– Dobry wieczór

In the evening, Dzień dobry is replaced with Dobry wieczór.

There are, of course, many other formal and informal ways of saying “hello” in Polish. You can learn more about them in our blog post: “How to Say ‘Hello’ in Polish, and Other Polish Greetings!”

3- A Handshake or a Kiss?

In Poland, a handshake is a common way of greeting people and introducing yourself to those you don’t know. Men often use a handshake to greet their friends.

Kissing on the cheek is common between female friends and female friends greeting their male friends. Usually, you don’t actually kiss a person, but rather do a quick peck in the air, close to the other person’s face. Some young people do it with those they meet for the first time instead of a handshake.

2. Learn How to Introduce Yourself in Polish

There are different ways of introducing yourself in Polish. The most important things to include in your introduction are the basics: your name, your country of origin, and your place of residence.

1- “My Name Is” in Polish, Your Nationality, and Place of Residence

1. Saying “My Name is” in Polish

You’ve surely asked yourself the question: “How do you say My name is in Polish?” There are a few ways to do this, depending on whether you’re in a formal situation or an informal one. In this vein, when it comes to how to introduce yourself in Polish, grammar is essential. Essentially, there are two forms of address in Polish language introductions.

For informal questions, we use the verb form for the second-person singular (e.g. masz meaning “you have” ) and for formal questions with Pan/Pani, the third-person singular (e.g. ma meaning “Mr./Mrs. has”). We’ll start by looking at some informal dialogue (also note here how to say “nice to meet you” in Polish language introductions):

Informal

A: Cześć! Jak masz na imię?
“Hello! What’s your name?”

B: Mam na imię Piotrek. A ty?
“Hello! My name is Piotrek. What’s yours?”

A: Mam na imię Małgosia. Miło mi cię poznać.
“My name is Małgosia. Nice to meet you.”

B: Wzajemnie.
“Nice to meet you too.”

Sometimes in reply, people just give their name instead of using the full formula (e.g. Piotrek. Vs. Mam na imię Piotrek.).

Formal

In a formal context, an introductory dialogue with a woman would look like this:

A: Dzień dobry. Jak ma Pani na imię?
“Good day. What’s your name, Ma’am?”

B: Olga.

A: Miło mi Panią poznać.
“Nice to meet you, Ma’am.”

Pani is the title women are addressed with. A formal title used for men is Pan:

A: Dzień dobry. Jak ma Pan na imię?
“Good day. What’s your name, Sir?”

B: Roman.

A: Miło mi Pana poznać.
“Nice to meet you, Sir.”

2. Talking about Your Nationality in Polish

If someone wants to know what your nationality is, there are several possible questions they may ask you. Let’s deal with the informal introductions first:

Informal

• Skąd pochodzisz? (Where do you come from?)
  Pochodzę z Anglii. (I come from England.)
• Skąd jesteś? (Where are you from?)
  Jestem z Kanady. (I am from Canada.)
• Gdzie się urodziłeś? (Where were you born?) – Man
  Urodziłem się w Polsce. (I was born in Poland.) – Man
• Gdzie się urodziłaś? (Where were you born?) – Woman
  Urodziłam się w Polsce. (I was born in Poland.) – Woman

As you can see, the verb urodzić, like other Polish verbs in the past tense, has a male and female form. To be able to both ask questions and introduce yourself, learn both of them.

• Jakiej jesteś narodowości? (What’s your nationality?)
  Jestem Amerykaninem. (I’m American.) – Man
  Jestem Amerykanką. (I’m American.) – Woman

Adjectives in Polish also have gender. Try to memorize both versions for every new word, and with practice, you’ll see that sometimes you can guess the other form of a new adjective you encounter.

Formal

Now it’s time for questions that people would ask you in a formal introductory conversation. Remember that Pani and its forms refer to women, and Pan and its derivatives to men:

• Skąd Pani/Pan pochodzi? (Where do you come from, Ma’am/Sir?)
• Skąd Pani/Pan jest? (Where are you from, Ma’am/Sir?)
• Gdzie się Pan urodził? (Where were you born, Sir?)
  Urodziłem się w Olsztynie. (I was born in Olsztyn.)
• Gdzie się Pani urodziła? (Where were you born, Ma’am?)
  Urodziłam się w Krakowie. (I was born in Cracow.)
• Jakiej jest Pan/Pani narodowości? (What’s your nationality Sir/Ma’am?)

3. Talking about Where You Live in Polish

Another important skill for introducing yourself in Polish is knowing how to say where you live. This is particularly relevant, seeing that today people move around the world and change countries.

If someone asks you:

– Gdzie mieszkasz? (Where do you live?)
– Gdzie Pan mieszka? (Where do you live, Sir?)
– Gdzie Pani mieszka? (Where do you live, Ma’am?)

You could reply:

– Mieszkam w Londynie. (I live in London.)

– Mieszkam we Włoszech. (I live in Italy.)

– Mieszkam w Warszawie, na Ursynowie. (I live in Warsaw, in Ursynów.)

– Mieszkam na Marszałkowskiej. (I live on Marszałkowska Street.)

If you want to learn more essential questions, check out our list of the Top 25 Polish Questions You Need to Know.

2- Describing Yourself in Polish

If you’re having a longer introductory conversation with someone in Polish, you’ll need more vocabulary to describe yourself. While learning how to introduce yourself in Polish words, practice how to tell people about your:

1. Age

Talking about age is often not appropriate in formal situations. Save it for your peers and people you’re informal with.

A: Ile masz lat?
“How old are you?”

B: Mam 20 lat.
“I’m 20 years old.”

2. Languages You Speak

When you don’t speak Polish fluently, it may be beneficial at times to let others know what other languages you speak.

A: Jakie znasz języki?
“What languages do you speak?”
B: Mówię po angielsku i trochę po polsku.
“I speak English and a bit of Polish.”

C: Jakie zna Pan/Pani języki?
“What languages do you speak, Sir/Ma’am?”
D: Angielski i znam kilka słów po polsku.
“English, and I know some words in Polish.”

3. Profession

It’s important to be able to tell people your profession when giving a self-introduction in the Polish language. Many names of Polish professions are male and are used as such, regardless of the gender of the person who practices it. However, more and more professions have female forms (i.e. nauczyciel [m] vs. nauczycielka [f]; aktor [m] vs. aktorka [f]), so always consult a dictionary when learning a new word.

– Kim jesteś z zawodu? (What’s your profession?)
– Kim jest Pan/Pani z zawodu? (What’s your profession, Sir/Ma’am?)
– Jestem… (I am… )
…prawnikiem. (…a lawyer.)
…wykładowcą. (…a lecturer.)
…muzykiem. (…a musician.)

– Czym się zajmujesz zawodowo? (What do you do?)
– Czym się Pan/Pani zajmuje zawodowo? (What do you do, Sir/Ma’am?)
– Pracuję jako… (I work as a…)
…lekarz. (…as a doctor.)
…farmaceuta. (…as a pharmacist.)
…agent nieruchomości. (…real estate agent.)

Now that you’ve learned how to talk about your age and spoken languages, and expressions like “I work as” in Polish, we can move on to other personal details.

3- Other Personal Details for Describing Yourself in Polish

There are certain details you can share about yourself when describing yourself in Polish during an introduction as well as when talking to family, friends, or colleagues in Polish. These details include:

1. Hobbies

W weekendy majsterkuję dla rozrywki.
“On weekends I do DIY for entertainment.”

Moim hobby jest fotografia.
“My hobby is photography.”

Dla relaksu maluję.
“I paint to relax.”

2. Likes and Dislikes

Likes:

Uwielbiam chodzić do kina.
“I enjoy going to the movies.”

W wolnym czasie lubię czytać.
“In my free time, I like to read.”

Kocham podróżować.
“I love travelling.”

Dislikes:

Nienawidzę głośnej muzyki.
“I hate loud music.”

Nie lubię próbować nowych potraw.
“I don’t like tasting new dishes.”

Nie przepadam za kotami.
“I don’t exactly love cats.”

3. Family Members

Nie mam rodzeństwa.
“I don’t have siblings.”

Mam brata.
“I have a brother.”

Mam dwie siostry.
“I have two sisters.”

4. Pets

Mam psa.
“I have a dog.”

Mam trzy koty.
“I have three cats.”

Nie mam żadnych zwierząt.
“I don’t have any pets.”

3. Context Matters: Learn about How to Introduce Yourself in Polish in Different Situations

If you’re looking for a Polish self-introduction to sound like a native speaker, this section is just perfect for you!

1- Introductions When Dealing with Peers

What I enjoy about Polish is that it has a very distinct difference between what’s formal and informal. An informal way of introducing yourself in the Polish language will come in handy in situations where you’re asked to say a few words about yourself by a group of peers. This is an example of a nice, informal introduction:

Cześć! Jestem Jonas i mam 22 lata. Pochodzę z Niemiec. W wolnym czasie lubię słuchać muzyki i spędzać czas z moimi przyjaciółmi.

“Hi! I’m Jonas and I’m 22 years old. I come from Germany. In my free time, I like listening to music and hanging out with my friends.”

Such an introduction would work equally fine on the Internet, for instance, as a description of yourself on your dating profile or on an online expat community website when you’re trying to make friends. To avoid confusion, add one more line: Nie mówię dobrze po polsku meaning “I don’t speak Polish very well.” To be able to have longer chats with your peers, it’s a good idea to find out a bit more about pop and traditional culture.

2- Introducing Yourself to People Older Than You

A formal way of introducing yourself in the Polish language is equally important. Especially when your partner is Polish, you may have to say a few words about yourself to his or her family when you meet them for the first time. Being able to do so in their native language will melt their hearts!

Bardzo miło mi Państwa poznać. Nazywam się Agnes i z zawodu jestem weterynarzem.
“It’s really nice to meet you all. My name is Agnes and I’m a veterinarian.”

Would you like to know beforehand what items you can expect in a Polish home? The PolishPod101 lesson “Inside the Polish Home” will come in handy!

3- Describing Yourself in Polish in a Work Environment

You may be asked to say a few words about yourself in a work environment. Here’s how to introduce yourself in Polish when someone puts you on the spot in a new workplace:

Witam wszystkich! Nazywam się Raul i pochodzę z Brazylii. Będę pracować tutaj jako programista.
“Hello everyone! My name is Raul and I come from Brazil. I’m going to work here as a programmer.”

As you can see, a good introduction requires a bit more than just saying “My name is” in Polish. Fortunately, we’ve got you covered!

4. Introducing Others

Finally, the last but not least important skill is learning how to introduce other people. This can be useful in both social situations and at work.

1- Introducing Others in a Social Situation

You can easily imagine a social situation when, for instance, you’ve brought a friend or your partner with you to a party. There are a few ways to introduce them to someone:

1. You can simply tell people each other’s names and indicate in their direction:

– Andrzej, Ivana. Ivana, Andrzej.

2. When introducing a friend or a partner, you can also tell people a bit about your relationship:

– Monika, poznaj moją dziewczynę Agatę.
– “Monika, please meet my girlfriend, Agata.”

– Tomek, to jest Wojtek z jogi, o którym tyle Ci opowiadałem.
– “Tomek, this is Wojtek from my yoga class I told you so much about.”

3. You can also opt for a fuller introduction, especially if you know that the two people have something in common:

– Maja, poznaj Marka. Marek, tak samo jak ty, uwielbia jazdę konną.
– “Maja, meet Marek. Marek, just like you, loves horse riding.”

2- Introducing Others at Work

Being able to introduce others at work is a very important skill, particularly for people working in HR departments and those in managerial positions in organizations. Here’s an example of how this can be done:

Czy mogę prosić wszystkich o uwagę? Chciałbym przedstawić wam Anję. Anja dołączy do naszego zespołu jako sekretarz spółki. Proszę, powitajmy ją serdecznie.

“Can I have everyone’s attention? I’d like you to meet Anja. Anja is joining our team in the role of company secretary. Let’s welcome her warmly.”

5. How to Get Better at Introducing Yourself and Others in Polish

Interesting things happen in your brain when you learn a language. However, you only get better at it by practicing it.

Don’t wait until your Polish is perfect; start looking for opportunities to communicate as soon as possible. You don’t need to do a flawless introduction the first time around. To boost your confidence, keep a Polish dictionary with you.

Are you scared that people will make fun of you? That’s a natural concern. You can try working on your Polish pronunciation to make sure others understand you. Ask native speakers for help and tell them not to shy away from correcting you.

Last but not least, smile. It has great benefits and helps to win other people’s hearts.

6. Final Thoughts

We hope you can now see why in Polish language-learning, how to introduce yourself is so vital. You need to know how to introduce yourself to make your first connections with native speakers, and to gain confidence in Polish. Today, you’ve learned how to describe yourself and introduce others.

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Start learning by creating a free account now! With our constant support and your determination, you’ll be able to introduce yourself and speak Polish fluently before you know it!

But before you go: Let us know in the comments how you feel about introducing yourself in Polish now! Is there anything in particular you’re still struggling with? We love hearing from you, so don’t be afraid to reach out! 🙂