"Hello!"
Translation:Cześć!
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Yes, i just learned how informal it was. I had been saying Czesz to every as station attendant, waiter, person on the street in Poland. My family never stopped me!
Isn't "cześć" more of a "hi"? How official is it? Can I use it to greet a super-important person in official situation?
Definitely not. I always thought that "hello" is only informal as well, but English natives on Duolingo make me change my mind about that a bit. Anyway, you can use "cześć" with your acquaintances, colleagues and friends, your family (at least close family), and probably strangers that seem to be about the same age as you or younger, when the situation seems informal enough (school/uni/concert/club/bar etc.). So yeah, more of a "hi".
Witam is "welcome" ( I welcome). It is now often used as the greeting at the beginning of e-mail, but this is complicated situation - it's less informal than cześć, but not formal.
Using when having real life conversation - I don't know people who use it this way. Using it when you are not a host would be weird. Also "Dzień dobry/Dobry wieczór" are much better.
But "Dobry wieczór", is good evening, correct? So not actually related to saying "Hello"?
Well, if you say "Hello" in the evening, it's not that far from "Good evening" ;)
So it would not be appropriate to say "czesz" to a stranger, waitress, train station staff and store owners? If not, what is the appropriate word here?
To a stranger about your age or younger - it's okay, if the situation seems informal enough. Especially if you yourself are young. The other situations rather call for "dzień dobry" (good morning/afternoon).
It would really help to have the audio attachment at these places to verify pronunciation