Polish pronunciation for English speakers

Polish looks hard on the page, with many consonants in a row. The spelling is fairly regular, though. Learn the letter groups and you can read it aloud.

Sz, cz, ż and rz

"sz" sounds like the "sh" in "ship". "cz" is like the "ch" in "chip". "ż" and "rz" sound like the s in "measure". Practise "szkoła", "czas" and "rzeka".

The soft sounds

"ś", "ć" and "ź" are softer, with the tongue closer to the roof of the mouth. "Ś" sounds like a gentle "sh". It is a different sound from "sz", and the difference can change a word.

Nasal vowels

"ą" and "ę" are nasal vowels. Before some letters they sound like "on" and "en". At the end of a word, "ę" is often said as a plain e. Your partner can show you the pattern.

Consonant clusters

Words such as "szczęście" look dense. Say each sound in turn, slowly, then speed up. Practising a few clusters each day helps.

The ł

"ł" sounds like the English w. "Ładny" starts with w. This is easier than it looks.

Stress

Stress almost always falls on the second-to-last syllable. "Polska" has stress on "pol". Putting stress in the right place makes you easier to understand.

How to practise

• Learn new words by sound and spelling together.
• Record yourself and compare with a native speaker.
• Ask your partner to say a word slowly, then repeat it back.

A native speaker will hear what you miss. See how to find a language partner, or Polish on Nearly Fluent.