spotkanie

Spotkanie is a Polish noun that denotes an encounter or a gathering of people. It can refer to a planned event, such as a business meeting or a social gathering, as well as to a spontaneous encounter. The term is derived from the verb spotkać, to meet, and sits among related words such as narada (a formal meeting or council), konferencja (conference), and rozmowa (conversation). In everyday use, spotkanie emphasizes the act of people coming together rather than the specific format of the event.

The primary senses are: a scheduled gathering (for example, a business or family meeting); a social encounter or gathering; a reunion, often after a period apart; and a chance, unplanned meeting in which people meet by circumstance rather than by arrangement. The word is flexible and common in calendars, invitations, and everyday speech.

In usage, spotkanie is typically neutral and inclusive, suitable for both informal and formal contexts. It contrasts with more formal terms such as narada (a formal consultation or council) and konferencja (a larger, structured conference). In modern Polish, spotkanie can also be used in the digital realm to describe video or online meetings, as in planowane spotkanie online or zaplanować spotkanie przez komunikator.

See also: narada, konferencja, rozmowa.