Lesson 1. The Alphabet and Reading (Polish Language)
Lesson 1. The Alphabet and Reading (Polish Language)
The Polish alphabet has 32 letters. It is based on the Latin alphabet, but it has special letters with diacritical marks and its own reading rules.
The Polish alphabet:
A, Ą, B, C, Ć, D, E, Ę, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, Ł, M, N, Ń, O, Ó, P, R, S, Ś, T, U, W, Y, Z, Ź, Ż
Special letters with diacritics:
Ą, Ę, Ł, Ń, Ó, Ś, Ź, Ż – they are pronounced differently from the regular letters.
Basic reading rules
| Letter | Pronunciation | Example (PL) | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ł | like English “w” | łódka | small boat |
| Ą | nasal “on” | mąż | husband |
| Ę | nasal “en” | węzeł | knot |
| Ó | like “oo” | mówić | to speak |
| C | like “ts” | cena | price |
| CZ | like “ch” | czapka | cap |
| SZ | like “sh” | szkoła | school |
| DZ | like “dz” | dzwon | bell |
| DŹ | like a soft “dj” | dźwig | crane |
| DŻ | like “j” in “jam” | dżem | jam |
The combinations RZ and PRZ
RZ
In most cases it is pronounced like “zh” as in “measure” (very similar to the sound of the letter Ż).
Historically it comes from an old “r” + a soft sound, but for a modern learner it is enough to remember:
rz → [zh]
Examples:
rzeka – river
marzec – March
krzyż – cross
rzadki – rare
Remember: the spelling RZ has to be memorized because it is not always logical, but in pronunciation it is always like “zh”.
PRZ
This is the combination P + RZ. Together they give a sound very close to “psh”:
prz → [psh]
Examples:
przyjaciel – friend
przedszkole – kindergarten
przepis – recipe
przestać – to stop
przynieść – to bring
After p, the rz loses its voice and sounds like “sh”: przyjaciel → [pshi-ya-chel].
How to practise RZ and PRZ:
Repeat the words aloud syllable by syllable: prze-szkole, przy-ja-ciel, krzyż, rzeka.
Write down a list of new words with RZ and PRZ and listen to them pronounced by native speakers (for example on YouTube or in language-learning apps).
Do dictations or make flashcards with the words.
Task 1. Read the letters and combinations aloud
Pronounce them slowly, paying attention to the sound:
Ł, Ą, Ę, Ó, Ś, Ź, Ż, CZ, SZ, DZ, DŹ, DŻ, RZ, PRZ
Task 2. Match the sound to the letter
Write next to each sound the letter that stands for it:
[w] – ______
[zh] – ______
[psh] – ______
[sh] – ______
[ch] – ______
[dz] – ______
Task 3. Read the words
Write them out and read them aloud.
rzeka
krzyż
marzec
rzadko
przyjaciel
przedszkole
przepis
przynosić
Task 4. Make sentences
Use at least 3 words from the list and make simple sentences in Polish.
For example:
Mój przyjaciel idzie do przedszkola.