Polish · Real conversations
How to respond to “Przykro mi to słyszeć.” in Polish
Sympathy can be answered with thanks, a short acknowledgment of difficulty, or a clear preference for privacy.
What you might hear
Przykro mi to słyszeć.
I'm sorry to hear that.
Choose a reply that fits
Dziękuję za te słowa.
Thank you for saying that.
Acknowledge the supportive words.
Doceniam twoją życzliwość.
I appreciate your kindness.
Recognize the person's kindness.
To był trudny czas.
It's been difficult.
Share a little about how things have felt.
Wolę teraz o tym nie rozmawiać.
I'd prefer not to talk about it right now.
Set a conversational boundary when you need it.
Two short exchanges
Receiving sympathy
Przykro mi to słyszeć.
I'm sorry to hear that.
Dziękuję za te słowa.
Thank you for saying that.
A supportive personal message
Bardzo mi przykro z powodu tego, przez co przechodzisz.
I'm so sorry for what you're going through.
Doceniam twoją życzliwość.
I appreciate your kindness.
Your turn
Acknowledge that the situation has been difficult without adding details.
Reveal a sample reply
To był trudny czas.
It's been difficult.
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.
