Meaning
Asking for someone's name.
Cultural Background
The distinction between 'Jak się nazywasz?' (full name) and 'Jak masz na imię?' (first name) is subtle but real. If you want to be very friendly, go for the latter. In a Polish office, you might work with someone for years and still use 'Pan/Pani'. Using 'Jak się nazywasz?' without permission can be seen as a lack of professionalism. In some regional dialects, you might hear variations in pronunciation, but 'Jak się nazywasz?' remains the universal standard for communication. Young Poles are increasingly influenced by English and might use 'Jestem [Name]' more often, but 'Jak się nazywasz?' remains the most grammatically 'correct' inquiry.
The 'Się' Rule
Never start a sentence with 'się'. It's a social butterfly; it needs to be near other words.
Age Matters
If the person looks older than your parents, use 'Pan/Pani' instead of 'nazywasz'.
Meaning
Asking for someone's name.
The 'Się' Rule
Never start a sentence with 'się'. It's a social butterfly; it needs to be near other words.
Age Matters
If the person looks older than your parents, use 'Pan/Pani' instead of 'nazywasz'.
Full Name vs First Name
If you want to sound more natural at a party, use 'Jak masz na imię?' instead.
Test Yourself
Fill in the missing reflexive pronoun.
Jak ___ nazywasz?
The phrase 'nazywać się' always requires the reflexive pronoun 'się'.
Which of these is the correct informal way to ask a peer their name?
Choose the correct sentence:
'Jak się nazywasz?' is the standard informal form. 'Pan' is formal, 'Co jest...' is a literal translation error, and 'Jak nazywasz?' is missing 'się'.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Cześć! Jestem Adam. A ty? B: Cześć Adam, ja ___ nazywam Ewa.
The answer 'Nazywam się...' mirrors the question 'Jak się nazywasz?'.
Match the phrase to the situation.
You are at a party and meet someone your age. What do you say?
Informal situations with peers require the 'ty' form.
Match the pronoun to the verb form.
Match them up:
Each person has a specific verb ending in Polish.
🎉 Score: /5
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
5 exercisesJak ___ nazywasz?
The phrase 'nazywać się' always requires the reflexive pronoun 'się'.
Choose the correct sentence:
'Jak się nazywasz?' is the standard informal form. 'Pan' is formal, 'Co jest...' is a literal translation error, and 'Jak nazywasz?' is missing 'się'.
A: Cześć! Jestem Adam. A ty? B: Cześć Adam, ja ___ nazywam Ewa.
The answer 'Nazywam się...' mirrors the question 'Jak się nazywasz?'.
You are at a party and meet someone your age. What do you say?
Informal situations with peers require the 'ty' form.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Each person has a specific verb ending in Polish.
🎉 Score: /5
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsOnly if used with someone much older or in a very formal setting. With peers, it's perfect.
No, it's actually more natural to drop it. The verb ending '-am' already means 'I'.
'Nazywać się' is for the full name (or just surname), 'mieć na imię' is strictly for the first name.
Say 'Nazywam się [Your Name]'.
Yes, but you use the 'it' form: 'Jak to się nazywa?' (What is this called?).
Polish word order is flexible, but 'się' likes to follow the first stressed word in a phrase.
Yes, 'Jak cię wołają?' is a very casual way to ask for a nickname.
No, 'nazywasz się' is the same for all genders in the present tense.
Use the plural: 'Jak się nazywacie?'.
Yes, Russian 'kak vas zovut' is similar in concept but uses a different verb structure.
Related Phrases
Jak masz na imię?
similarWhat is your (first) name?
Jak się Pan nazywa?
specialized formWhat is your name? (Formal, to a man)
Nazywam się...
builds onMy name is...
Miło mi cię poznać
builds onNice to meet you
Skąd jesteś?
similarWhere are you from?
