Szanowni

Szanowni is a Polish adjective meaning esteemed or dear, used to address a group in formal communication. Grammatically, it is the nominative plural masculine/mixed form of the adjective szanowny; the feminine plural form is szanowne. In practice, it appears before a noun in a salutation, most commonly in the fixed phrase Szanowni Państwo, which translates to Dear Ladies and Gentlemen or Dear Sirs and Madams.

In Polish, Szanowni Państwo is the standard opening for official correspondence, speeches, announcements, and editorials. It conveys respect and formality and is typically avoided in informal contexts. Variants include Szanowni Państwo Czytelnicy (Dear Readers) or Szanowni Państwo Słuchacze (Dear Listeners), used to address specific groups.

Origin and usage notes: the term derives from szanować, to honor or respect; szanowny historically denotes something honorable or esteemed. The form Szanowni is commonly capitalized as part of fixed salutations in formal writing, especially at the beginnings of letters or speeches.

Formality considerations: Szanowni is almost always paired with a following noun, most frequently Państwo. It is not used to address an individual in casual speech; for singular recipients, forms like Szanowny Pan or Szanowna Pani are used. The expression remains a hallmark of polite, formal Polish communication.