znajomy

Znajomy is a Polish noun that refers to a person one knows, but who is not necessarily a close friend. The term denotes an acquaintance or a casual connection in social circles. The feminine form is znajoma, and the plural forms are znajomi (for groups including at least one man) and znajome (for groups of women).

Etymology and related terms: znajomy derives from the verb znać, meaning “to know.” The suffix -omy forms a nominal indicating a person connected with the action, yielding a word that identifies someone known to someone else. Related terms include znajomość, meaning both knowledge or familiarity with something and the general concept of an acquaintance, and przyjaciel or kolega, which refer to closer friends or colleagues.

Usage and nuance: znajomy is commonly used in everyday speech to describe someone you know superficially or socially but do not necessarily spend much time with. It can convey neutral or slightly distant connotations depending on context, and it contrasts with closer terms like przyjaciel (close friend) or kolega (colleague). Phrases such as “mój znajomy z pracy” or “stary znajomy” illustrate different degrees of familiarity and temporal distance.

Usage in culture: In Polish discourse, the concept of znajomość plays a role in social networks and introductions, where recognizing a person as a znajomy signals familiarity without implying intimacy. The word is versatile, widely understood across formal and informal registers.

See also: znajomość, przyjaciel, kolega.