Polish · Real conversations
How to respond to “Dawno się nie widzieliśmy!” in Polish
A reunion gives you a chance to acknowledge the gap and reconnect without explaining your entire absence.
What you might hear
Dawno się nie widzieliśmy!
Long time no see!
Choose a reply that fits
Rzeczywiście, minęło sporo czasu.
It really has been a while.
Acknowledge that time has passed.
Bardzo się cieszę, że cię widzę.
It's great to see you.
Show that you are happy to reconnect.
Byłem dość zajęty / Byłam dość zajęta.
I've been quite busy.
Give a short explanation if you want to.
Spotkajmy się niedługo i porozmawiajmy.
Let's catch up soon.
Suggest a later conversation when you cannot stay.
Two short exchanges
An unexpected reunion
Dawno się nie widzieliśmy!
Long time no see!
Rzeczywiście, minęło sporo czasu.
It really has been a while.
Seeing an old acquaintance
Minęło sporo czasu!
It's been a while!
Bardzo się cieszę, że cię widzę.
It's great to see you.
Your turn
Give a brief update about why you have not been around.
Reveal a sample reply
Byłem dość zajęty / Byłam dość zajęta.
I've been quite busy.
This response guide in other languages
A note on speaking Polish
Polish distinguishes familiar ty from polite pan and pani. Choose pan when addressing a man and pani when addressing a woman formally; the paired forms shown in examples are alternatives, so say one. A formal question usually uses a third-person verb, such as Czy może pan …? First-person past and conditional forms can change with the speaker’s gender.
Keep letters such as ą, ę, ł, ń, ó, ś, ź, and ż. Noun and adjective endings can change with their role in the sentence. Learn the complete expression before replacing a name, object, or time.
