stary
dude, man (form of address); also: my old man (dad)
Pronunciation
/ˈstarɨ/
Cultural Note
'Stary' literally means 'old (one)' but has two major slang uses. First, as a form of address between male friends — 'stary!' is like 'dude!' or 'man!' It's casual, warm, and extremely common. Second, 'mój stary' means 'my dad' (and 'moja stara' means 'my mom') — this is informal and slightly irreverent. Both uses are universal in Polish casual speech. The friend-address usage is one of the most common ways Polish men greet each other. Female friends might use 'stara' with each other too, though less commonly.
📝 Example Sentences
Stary, nie uwierzysz co się stało!
Dude, you won't believe what happened!
Mój stary znowu się wkurzył o oceny.
My old man got pissed about my grades again.