Pozdrawiam

Pozdrawiam is the first-person singular present tense of the Polish verb pozdrawiać, meaning to greet. In everyday writing it is commonly used as a closing phrase in letters, emails, and messages, roughly translating as “I greet you” or “best regards.” It can stand alone or be extended with adjectives, for example “Pozdrawiam serdecznie” (I warmly greet you).

Usage and register: Pozdrawiam is versatile and appears in informal to semi-formal communication. In more formal correspondence, closings such as “Z poważaniem” or “Z wyrazami szacunku” are also used, but Pozdrawiam remains a widely accepted, friendlier option. In many contexts it is followed by the sender’s name, functioning as a simple sign-off.

Variants and tone: Common variants include “Pozdrawiam serdecznie” and “Serdecznie pozdrawiam,” with the adjective placement varying without a substantial change in meaning. The phrase is gender-neutral in use, since it charts the speaker’s action rather than referencing the recipient. It is appropriate for colleagues, acquaintances, and acquaintances in semi-formal contexts, while more formal closings may be preferred in official documentation.

Etymology and form: The expression derives from the verb pozdrawiać, with the root pozdraw- and the present-tense ending -iam. It reflects a literal act of greeting but is idiomatically used as a polite sign-off in written communication.