Your Ultimate Polish Pronunciation Guide

Polish Pronunciation

When it comes to learning Polish pronunciation, there are two things that might make it a little bit difficult for a native English speaker. Thankfully, however, there is at least one thing that does make it a lot easier. One of the things that make pronouncing the Polish language a little bit more difficult for native English speakers is the fact that different letter combinations are used to indicate familiar sounds. Also, the way sounds are combined in Polish can often twist the tongue of English speakers. Still, there are actually only three sounds in Polish that do not exist in the English language. So, mastering those sounds right up front will certainly make your life quite a bit easier, to say the least.

One of those sounds in Polish pronunciation that doesn’t exist in the English language is an ”a” with a tail on it. In order to properly pronounce this sound, English speakers should first imagine saying, “Ow!” Next, imagine pronouncing the “ng” sound at the end of the word “swing.” When you combine the two, you’ll be creating a sound that closely approximates the correct sound in Polish. The next Polish sound you should learn that doesn’t exist in English is represented by an “e” with a tail on it. In order to approximate this one, all you have to do is say “en,” as in “engage,” but make the “e” a bit more nasal.

The third sound in Polish pronunciation that doesn’t exist in English is its “ch” sound.” The Polish “ch” sound isn’t at all like the English “ch” sound. It’s completely different. If you just pronounce a hard “K,” and put a lot of breath in it, you’ll be close enough. Another thing to keep in mind about properly pronouncing Polish words is that in nearly all of them, the emphasis is placed on the second to last syllable. Like so many other rules in this language, this one is applied on a nearly universal basis, which makes learning this language at least a little bit easier.

Remember, another thing to study in Polish pronunciation is the fact that some sounds which are already familiar to you are going to be represented by different letter combinations in Polish than in English. For example, in Polish, the “ch” sound in the word “church” is represented by the letter combination “cz.” Learning this and other differences first will greatly increase your speed of mastery.

1) Use voice recording tools to perfect your pronunciation

PolishPod101 has plenty of resources to help you with your Polish pronunciation, so be sure to make thorough use of our recordings with native Polish speakers. These are available not only to demonstrate to you how you should pronounce Polish vocabulary, but also sentences and dialogues. Watch and listen to these over and over again to train your ear, and watch the teacher’s mouth as she speaks in the video lessons. Then, copy the speech as best you can. Later, you can record yourself to hear if you sound like a native speaker and compare yourself with native speakers. Great for self-motivation.

2) Practice in front of the mirror.

And see that you’re copying the correct lip and mouth movements.

3) Use our PolishPod101 dictionary!

Use the Polish dictionary provided by PolishPod101 to look up words and listen to the audio pronunciation. This will go a long way towards giving you an idea of how to pronounce a word or letter correctly.

4) Train your ear to the language!

Make an effort to often listen to Polish music and recorded books, and watch plenty of Polish movies and/or TV shows in Polish. This will train your ear to the language, and you’ll be surprised how quickly you pick up the accent. Remember, this is the way we learned to speak when we were young - mostly by listening to the adults talking, and repeating what they say!

5) Practice, practice, practice…

Repetition of the same thing may be boring, but in learning a new language, you’re creating new pathways in your brain. For these to remain and become habitual, you will need to repeat the correct pronunciation often.

6) Make friends with a native Polish speaker.

Don’t be shy to address them in Polish! Ask them to correct you when you make a pronunciation mistake - this is a wonderful way to practice and learn the language first-hand, and also to make new friends.

7) Practice your pronunciation with your Polish teacher!

If you’re a serious student and don’t know where to meet native Polish speakers, consider investing in PolishPod101’s Premium PLUS plan. This means you will have your own native Polish teacher available to practice your pronunciation with, and much more! Send recordings of yourself speaking Polish and get feedback from your Polish teacher.