We have already discussed the ways of opening formal and informal emails (check out our posts of 4th and 20th February). Now it’s time to talk about the opening lines that can be used in formal letters.
If we’re writing an email in response to an invitation or a letter that contained some information, we can use the following phrases, some of which you must have already learned in your Polish classes:
Chciał(a)bym podziękować za ... (I would like to thank you for...)
Pragnę serdecznie podziękować za... (literally: I would like to sincerely thank you for...)
Uprzejmie dziękuję za ... (literally: Thank you kindly for...)
Chciał(a)bym/ Pragnę Pana/ Panią/ Państwa poinformować, że ... (I would like to inform you that)
If we refer to a subject we discussed in a meeting or during a phone conversation some time before, we can write:
W nawiązaniu do naszej rozmowy telefonicznej... (With reference to our telephone conversation...)
Nawiązując do naszej ostatniej rozmowy... (With reference to our last conversation...)
W odniesieniu do tematu naszego ostatniego spotkania... (With reference to the subject of our last meeting...)
Odnośnie do tematu naszego spotkania... (Following the subject of our meeting...)
W odpowiedzi na Pana/ Pani wiadomość... (In response to your message...)
Please note that the forms pan/pani are spelt with a capital letter, and the expression odnośnie is used with the preposition do. The version without the preposition is frequently used as well (e.g. odnośnie tematu naszego ostatniego spotkania), but it is considered colloquial.
Official emails often include attachments, so expressions such as the ones below are an important part of correspondence:
W załączniku znajdzie Pan/ Pani .... (Please find attached/enclosed...)
W załączeniu przesyłam... (I have attached...)
Załączam naszą ofertę... (I am anclosing our offer...)
CLOSING LINES
When closing an email it’s a good idea to ensure the recipient that we will welcome any questions they might have:
W razie jakichkolwiek pytań, proszę o kontakt (Should you have any questions, please contact me)
W razie dodatkowych pytań jestem do Pana/ Pani/ Państwa dyspozycji (literally: If you have any questions, I’m at your disposal)
Or indicate that we are are looking forward to the meeting:
Z chęcią spotkam się z Państwem, aby omówić... (I will be happy to meet you to discuss...)
SIGN-OFFS
Students of Polish often ask how to sign off a formal letter. The most common expression we use to close a formal email is:
Z poważaniem (Sincerely, literally: with respect)
but you can also come across:
Z wyrazami szacunku (Yours faithfully)
This form is somewhat outdated, but still in use and seems to be full of old-fashioned charm (the same as its „relative“, the expression Łączę wyrazy szacunku – literally: I enclose my respects). If you have been exchanging emails for a while and got to know the recipient better, you can use the less obliging Serdecznie pozdrawiam (literally: I greet you sincerely).
Now we can only say goodbye to you and wish you a fruitful correspondence in Polish:)
