LearnPolish
Phonetics
Polish spelling rules are very consistent. A given character or a combination of characters is always pronounced in the same way. It may however be a bit misleading that sometimes two different characters are used to refer to the same sound. It means that it is usually quite simple to read something, if you know the rules, but it may be more difficult to write correctly.
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A pronounced like in English A in the word grammar |
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las pan |
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Ą a nasal vowel, pronounced like ON in French words bon, ton |
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kąt mąka |
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B pronounced like in English B in the word ball |
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bogaty |
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C pronounced like combination of t and s, like in the word pizza, or the German Zeit |
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coś księżyc |
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CZ pronounced like English combination CH in the word chocolate, although English sound is a bit softer. In Polish, try to press your tongue a bit higher above the line of your upper teeth |
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czekolada czarny |
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CH pronounced like English H in the word ham. |
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chleb zachód |
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CI pronounced like Ć (more info below) |
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ciasto ciemny |
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Ć a bit similar to English CH in the word chocolate, but softer. Try to pronounce CH, but pressing your tongue against your lower teeth or even below the teeth line. (You may not like this sound, but it is very common, as all infinitives in Polish end that way) |
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pić ćwiczenie |
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D pronounced like in English D in the word dragon |
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dom droga |
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DZ a voiced version of C |
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bardzo dzwon |
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DZI pronounced like DŹ (more info below) |
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dzisiaj dziewczyna |
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DŹ a voiced version of Ć. If you don’t understand what ‘voiced’ means, analyze the difference between p and b. They are actually the same sound, but b is voiced, that is your vocal cords are vibrating. DŹ is similar to English J in the world jam, but softer. Try to pronounce CH, but pressing your tongue against your lower teeth or even below the teeth line. |
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dźwig dźwięk |
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DŻ pronounced like English J in the word jam, although English sound is a bit softer. In Polish, try to press your tongue a bit higher against your upper teeth. |
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dżuma |
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E pronounced like in English E in the word leg |
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teraz żeby |
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Ę a nasal vowel pronounced like the beginning of the French word intelligence or fin |
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głęboki mężczyzna |
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as an ending of verb inflection (present tense, 1st person singular) it is usually pronounced like E. |
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idę piszę |
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F pronounced like in English F in the word fish |
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telefon |
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G pronounced like in English G in the word glass |
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droga głęboki |
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H both in isolation and in combination CH is pronounced like English H in the word ham. Traditionally isolated H was voiced but this kind of pronunciation is disappearing and both spelling versions are read in the same way. CH is much more common way of expressing the sound. Two country names listed below are examples worth remembering. |
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Holandia Hiszpania herbata |
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I pronounced like in English I in the word big |
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ulica |
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or – before another vowel - like English Y in the word year |
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biały biegać |
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J pronounced like English Y in the word year |
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ojciec Japonia |
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K pronounced like English K in the word key |
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kolano koń |
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L pronounced like English L in the word late |
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lato |
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Ł pronounced like English W in the word window |
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łyżka łatwy |
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M pronounced like English M in the word man |
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mucha |
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N pronounced like English N in the word name |
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nos nowy |
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NI pronounced like Ń (more info below) |
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niebo nic niski |
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Ń pronounced like the initial sound of the English word new, French gn in gagner, Spanish ñ in España (The character cannot be used at the beginning of a word. In initial position combination NI is used.)
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koń słoń kwiecień Poznań bańka |
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O pronounced like English O in the word pot |
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nos koń |
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Ó pronounced like U (like English OU in the word soup) |
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góra ogórek |
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P pronounced like English O in the word pen
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Poznań |
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R Polish is very clear and highly vibrating as in Italian. Air is directed through a narrow space over the tip of the tongue, which is situated slightly above the line of the upper teeth. |
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ręka herbata droga |
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S pronounced like English S in the word small |
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nos |
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SI pronounced like Ś (more info below) |
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silny siedem |
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Ś a bit similar to English S in the word sugar, but softer. Try to pronounce it by pressing your tongue below the teeth line. |
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śnieg gęś |
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T pronounced like English T in the word time |
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teraz herbata |
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U pronounced like English OU in the word soup |
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ucho mucha |
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W pronounced like English V in the word vowel |
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wino Wrocław Warszawa |
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Y pronounced as English Y in the word myth |
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mysz Włochy |
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Z |
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Poznań zaraz |
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ZI pronounced like Ź (more info below) |
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zima zimny |
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Ź |
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źródło źle |
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Ż |
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żaba poważny |
DEVOICING
Devoicing is a very important feature of Polish phonetics, influencing the way words are pronounced. It means that voiced consonants may often be pronounced like their voiceless counterparts. It always takes place at the end of words, but also in other positions where a consonant is influenced by its voiceless neighbour.
If you don’t understand what ‘voiced’ means, analyse the difference between p and b. They are actually the same sound, but b is voiced, that is your vocal cords are vibrating.
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B pronounced like P |
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chleb ząb torebka |
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D pronounced like T |
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podstawa zagadka |
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DZ pronounced like C |
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widz ksiądz |
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DŹ pronounced like Ć |
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idź |
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G pronounced like K |
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bóg róg |
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W pronounced like F |
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Wrocław lew wtorek ławka |
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Z pronounced like S |
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gaz teraz |
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Ź pronounced like Ś |
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weź |
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Ż pronounced like SZ |
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mąż łyżka |
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RZ pronounced like SZ |
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lekarz krzesło |