# hand kissing response



## Amerykańska kobieta

Okay, what should a woman (American) say to a man (Polish) after he kisses her hand?  Obviously both are older, 50-ish, since I think hand kissing is not done by younger Polish men.  

Would "podoba mi się" be appropriate?  I want to convey that I am flattered.

Thanks/Dziękuję


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## Thomas1

Hi and welcome to the forums,


  Usually there is no response at all if it is done as a greeting/goodbye. 
  In other cases, hm… it’s hard to say because I am not a woman.  Perhaps you could say something like “o, jak miło” “oh, how nice”.
  If you really want to use your suggestion then, how about: “podoba mi się ten zwyczaj” “I like this custom” or “podoba mi się jak to robisz” “I like when you do that”.

  You may want to wait for other comments.

  Tom


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## Greg from Poland

The question is very interesting indeed, and it even made me ask my mother what she thinks about it.

We both reckon that the woman should not say anything. If you do insist on saying something, "miło mi" would be appropriate.



> I think hand kissing is not done by younger Polish men.



I'd argue about that. It's not rare for well-mannered man to kiss a woman's hand.


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## Amerykańska kobieta

Thanks Tom, for your quick reply.  Yes, getting a polish woman's view of this would be good.

I like “o, jak miło.”

I've just started learning Polish and "podoba mi się" is something I know based on a few text book examples and translations (and can pronounce reasonably well), which is why I suggested it.  Maybe I should start another thread, but it seems like you are a little hesitant to recommend the use of "podoba mi się ..." here.  Could you explain about the appropriate use of  "podoba mi się"?  

Dziękuję!


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## Greg from Poland

Amerykańska kobieta,

"Podoba mi się" means, execatly, "I like it". Would you use it in this context? I don't think so.

"Podoba mi się" can be used in many contexts, in fact too many to list. For instance:

- What do you think of my new car?
- I like it! (Podoba mi się!).


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## Thomas1

Amerykańska kobieta, this is a pretty difficult question, and there are more doubts than things I can say with certainity. So please take what I am going to say as a personal comment rather than general guidelines, although they may overlap in some points. I realise that "I like X" may be used in English in slightly different situations and this is why I am a little hesitant about using "podoba mi się x" in this particular context. English "I like x" may be translated into Polish as "lubię x" and Polish "podoba mi się x" as "x appeals to me". You see it just doesn't sound best in this context, although it is certainly acceptable and perhaps some Polish speakers wouldn't mind it at all. It doesn't jar on ears but there is some tiny element in it that makes me want to use a different wording. I think there may be many things that play part here like: a different syntactical structure that makes some difference, cultural usage of both expressions and whatnot, or simply context--in Polish culture you don't hear often that a woman tells to a man that she likes it when he kisses her hand because it is a custom here. Sorry if it's not much of help to you. 

Another option that has come to my mind: "lubię jak całujesz mnie w rękę" "I like it when you kiss my hand" and it sounds fine, but it is a bit more direct than the option suggested by me in the previous post.


Greg gave you one of the typical examples of using "podoba mi się".
Another one can be:
Bardzo podoba mi się Magda.
I have a crush on Magda. or I like Magda very much. but the English second version can also be translated into Polish as Bardzo lubię Magdę.

Podoba mi się pomysł Piotrka.
I like Peter's idea.

Don't hesitate to ask if you have more questions.


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## fragile1

As a woman I can say - there is nothing to say. Just take it as a queen that's it.
There is something to say, if you don't like it. But if you like - it is just a sign that the  man has respect for you.


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## BezierCurve

Hello AK 



> If you really want to use your suggestion then, how about: “podoba mi się ten zwyczaj” “I like this custom”


 
I think that this option would be most suitable for many different contexts and situations.


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## Amerykańska kobieta

A few scattered remarks:

I was taking "podoba mi się x" as "x pleases me" -- maybe too literal from the textbook.  Which sounds a little better, but, I agree, not quite right.

Good to hear that hand kissing is also done by younger Polish men.  It is a nice custom.

As to 'Just take it as a queen that's it."
  That would take some practice on my part, will try that too.

On the  "miło mi" suggestion, can you translate that?  I know "mi" is the dative version of I/me, but have only learned a few specific dative phrases.  I also know the adjective in nominative form for nice is miły/miła/miłe, but haven't learned miło and how to use the dative case.

Thanks all!  AK


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## fragile1

Belive me or no - no one Polish woman would say anything. If you don't like it - ok, you can say something, "please, I don't like it". 
If you feel this kind of courtesy you are ok with - just don't say anything.
In Poland it is just a sign of a good upbringing despite of the man's age. Most Polish women appreciate it. It brings up their femininity and shows man's gallantry.


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## Greg from Poland

Amerykańska kobieta,

"Miło mi" it's just a short form of "Miło mi Pana/Panią/Ciebie poznać" ("Nice to meet you/Nice to have met you"). 

I think that both forms, that is to say, "Miło mi" and "Miło mi Pana poznać" would be perfectly acceptable in this situation.

But as I and the others said, silence is certainly the best response in this case


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## Thomas1

Amerykańska kobieta said:


> A few scattered remarks:
> 
> I was taking "podoba mi się x" as "x pleases me" -- maybe too literal from the textbook.  Which sounds a little better, but, I agree, not quite right.


Yes, this is one of the possibilities, it also crossed my mind when I was wrting my posts.



Amerykańska kobieta said:


> On the  "miło mi" suggestion, can you translate that?  I know "mi" is the dative version of I/me, but have only learned a few specific dative phrases.  I also know the adjective in nominative form for nice is miły/miła/miłe, but haven't learned miło and how to use the dative case.


It is nice (for me). would be a translation. 
miło is an adverb, and directly corresponds to English _nicely_. 



Greg from Poland said:


> [...]"Miło mi" it's just a short form of "Miło mi Pana/Panią/Ciebie poznać" ("Nice to meet you/Nice to have met you"). [...]


I am not convinced it is.
_Miło mi to słyszeć. _
or simple
_miło mi_
are separate expressions to give you a few, which can be used in different situations from those described by you. It of course may be a shortened version of "miło mi X poznać", but in the context given by Amerykańska kobieta it is clear this is not the case. To me "miło mi" has a broader array of uses.


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## Greg from Poland

I cannot agree with you, Thomas. 

In this context, "miło mi" is just a way of greeting people, a shorter form -or version, as you may want to call it - of "miło mi Ciebie poznać". I really can't think of any other meaning in this very situation.

Still, it can be a matter of experience and/or environment


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## Thomas1

This is something surprising to me, so let me ask a question:
do you really use "miło mi" each time when you see someone?
To me this very expression is only used when you (first) meet someone and then there is no need to use it further because you already know each other.
Besides, do you think that Amerykańska kobieta would use it to mean "miło mi Cię/Pana poznać"? I don't. The meanig I make out  here is very different, i.e. "miło mi kiedy to robisz" or in other words "przyjemnie mi...".


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## Amerykańska kobieta

In this particular case the Polish man is someone I have met a number of times, so the "Miło mi" doesn't quite work.  Probably I should stay silent as suggested, though I can see saying “podoba mi się ten zwyczaj” once, as much as a conversation starter as recognition of the hand kisses.  

Not sure if hand kissing is like opening doors.  When a man opens the door I say "thank you" the first few times in an evening, but not everytime ... however I am definitely not suggesting that I say "thank you" after the hand kissing (LOL ... what is Polish for LOL??)

Many thanks, Ak


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## Marga H

Amerykańska kobiet*o!* (vocative case )
My advice: say nothing, just smile.We don't say any particular word shaking hands.That is only another form of greeting.
Happy New Year!
Marga.


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## Greg from Poland

Come to think of it, I am more than willing to admit you are right, Thomas.

"Miło mi" simply doesn't hold water when you have seen somebody more than once. I cannnot think of any situation that would make it stick, except for the one when you see somebody for the first time.


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## BezierCurve

> "Miło mi" simply doesn't hold water when you have seen somebody more than once. I cannnot think of any situation that would make it stick, except for the one when you see somebody for the first time.


 
Well, how about a situation when you prepare a surprise for someone? Or, when someone does something especially for you, which you wouldn't really expect? I'd say it still works fine then.


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## Greg from Poland

I was thinking in terms of meeting people.


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## BezierCurve

OK, see your point now.


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