Are you going to write your first email in Polish and you don't know where to start? If you are afraid of a huge forgery when sharing business messages with Poles, find out more about the basic principles of the Polish e-mail etiquette.

Select the correct welcome

Getting started is always the hardest part, particularly when it comes to writing emails in Polish. However, before you get too intimidated by any unwritten principles of technical e-mail protocol, we'll let you in on a little secret: a lot of Polish native speakers face the same dilemmas as you do when you're addressing or signing business messages. Choosing proper terms of address is especially crucial in the business communication-the way you welcome your recipients sets the tone for the rest of the letter and tells a lot about your professionalism.

Choose the right greeting

Getting started is always the hardest part, especially when it comes to email writing in Polish. However, before you become too intimidated by some unwritten rules of professional email etiquette, we will let you in on a little secret: a lot of Polish native speakers face the same dilemmas that you do when addressing or signing off business messages. Choosing appropriate terms of address seems particularly important in business communication - the way you greet your recipients sets the tone for the rest of the message and says a lot about your professionalism. The problem is that certain official greetings in Poland are common, and it is often difficult for even fluent speakers to determine which one to pick. Let's explore the three most common words of greeting:

• Witam - while many Polish speakers already embrace it, in email conversation this word of salutation can be better avoided. Witam is simply "welcome," because it isn't just wrong to use it, but it can mean that you have a better spot than the receptionist.
• Szanowni Państwo - - translates into English as "Dear Sir or Mrs." It's the most formal and courteous way to approach someone you don't know. Szanowna Pani (Dear Mrs.) can be written to you by a man - Szanowny Panie (Dear Sir). If you are confident that a woman receives your letter. You may write to a man.
• Dzień Dobry - considered the most neutral word (meaning Good Morning), albeit somewhat less formal. It may be applied in most business contexts, but some Polish speakers often ignore it - the message will after all be received at night time (greetings like "Good afternoon" or "Good evening" may not be included in Polish-language email communication).

All of the above are usually accompanied by a comma. Notice that in Polish, in business writing you should not use greetings like "Hello" or "Hello," unless the letter is intended to your friends or anyone you know very well.

And the right signature

Only note to add a brief close sentence at the end of your address before you sign the email with your signature. The most common ways to close a Polish email are as follows:

• Z poważaniem — "Sincerely" or "Yours faithfully" Polish equivalent — a strongly formalising and official expression.
• Z wyrazami szacunku /śączę wyrazy szacunku – the words are more or less similar to the English wording "With reverence for kindness." This is your choice if you want to sound really cute in Polish.
• Pozdrawiam - the most common and neutral greeting, perhaps. You may use it for formal and semi-formal communications.

The terms and sentences of the sign-off should not be preceded by a comma nor by your full name.

Tips and general tips

The simple email rules in Poland are not different from those used by English speaking people around the world: aim to be succinct and accurate, express your message simply and avoid using too many exclamation points. Still remain professional and remember to revisit the email before sending it. Stick to the courtesy guidelines when writing in Polish – do not give the recipients their first name (unless of course they are known) but display gratitude by using capitalised forms of Pani, Pani or Państwo words. Finally, attempt to respond in a timely way - one or two working days will usually be seen as an adequate turnaround time in cases that are not urgent.