Greetings
Polish people enjoy greeting each other. If you find the word "cześć" (Hi!) too difficult to pronounce, you can use "Hello" instead and you’ll certainly be understood. When arriving at a meeting, Polish people shake hands. When the company is larger it’s right to shake hands with all those present. As a rule the first few minutes of any gathering are taken up with everyone greeting everyone else. This breaks the ice and makes life easier for the shy. Don’t be surprised if some people exchange embraces or even a kiss during a greeting. This indicates familiarity rather than love. In the fervour of greetings someone may even lean over to kiss visitors from abroad. If that happens, don’t panic, just return the gesture. But with moderation, a kissed greeting is in fact a delicate touch of cheeks.
Words and gestures
When the greetings are over the talking starts. In any group there is bound to be someone who speaks English - the most popular foreign language in Poland. The rest will wholeheartedly take it upon themselves to teach the foreigner some Polish. Someone will almost certainly suggest you repeat the tongue twister: "W Szczebrzeszynie chrząszcz brzmi w trzcinie" (say: Vuh Shchebsheshinyeh kshanshch bshmee vuh tshchynyeh), which is difficult even for Poles to say properly. The foreigner can but try - and in so doing amuse all those assembled. After this the conversation may continue in the form of unconjugated verbs and gestures.
First names, surnames and...
Bruderszaft is something like a fraternal toast. In no circumstances may you decline it, as this could be taken as an offence. Relations between people who have taken part in this ceremony turn from official to personal. From then on first names can be used, in Polish "przejść na ty" ("ty" being the informal "you" -being on first-name terms). Bruderszaft is accomplished in the following way: two people simultaneously raise a toast, after which they interlock arms and down their drinks. The last part is an exchange of kisses and a "Call me Marek," - "Call me John".
If you don’t get on to such familiarities, call your Polish interlocutor Pan (Mr) or Pani (Ms). Dropping the Mr or Ms and using only such titles as Director, President, or professions (Waiter, Driver, Cashier) is taken as impolite behaviour. Even worse is to call someone only by their surname. Saying "Kowalski, pass me that teaspoon", you may expose yourself to the suspicion that you are treating Kowalski no better than a servant. "Panie Kowalski" (Mr Kowalski) is low-brow (and in some circles downright rude); the socially accepted habit of preceding a first name with Pan or Pani is the most prevalent custom. If you say "Pani Beato" (Ms Beata), "Panie Jacku" (Mr Jacek) you can be sure that neither a hotel receptionist nor a company director will take offence. This is the polite form of address to little-known peers, people you have just met, and inferiors; superiors should be addressed "proszę pana" or "proszę pani", or by their title: "panie doktorze", "pani doktor", "panie dyrektorze" etc.
Remember name-days
Moving to the informal "ty" makes life much easier, but it also brings certain obligations. The most important is to remember name-days (a patron saint’s day - rather than birthdays). This anniversary is important for Poles and in no other culture is it celebrated in such a special way. In order to avoid awkward situations, it is worthwhile checking the calendar and marking the appropriate date. Poles celebrate their name-day at home, sometimes in restaurants, occasionally at work - but these days only after hours.