Polish pronunciation is generally considered difficult. Although compared to other languages such as German or English, Polish is very homogeneous. Differences in pronunciation among native speakers are insignificant. The system of vowel sounds is much simpler than in English, for example, and of the consonants, only a number of hisses (hard and soft) contain sounds that are relatively rare in other languages. In perception, they may be mixed with other sounds of Polish or neighbouring Slavic languages.
However, you should pay attention to pronunciation during the learning process. It is not difficult to master if you follow our tips.
How to deal with pronunciation difficulties
- The earlier you start doing pronunciation exercises, the better. Otherwise, it will take you longer to get rid of incorrect skills and persistent phonetic errors.
- Remember that often only children can master the pronunciation of a foreign language perfectly. For adult students, it is better to seek help from a good teacher. You will find such a teacher in our The Litera Centre. It will point out mistakes in and get rid of the "foreign accent" that can make communication difficult.
- We also recommend practising pronunciation 2-3 times a week on your own. This requires only a few minutes a day. It is best to focus on a single phonological category in a series of exercises.
- Don't immediately try to say a quick sentence like Chrząszcz brzmi w trzcinie. Unsuccessful attempts to repeat difficult words will lead to the belief that Polish phonetics is extremely difficult and will not help you learn. The first step is to master the perception of individual sounds: to learn to hear them and to be able to distinguish them from each other.
When choosing the order of exercises, be guided by the principle of increasing difficulty. - We do not recommend practising sounds in isolation. It is important that a native speaker or teacher can hear you pronounce the sounds and correct mistakes.
But if you don't have this opportunity, you can use https://forvo.com/languages/pl/. Here you will find examples of almost all words read by native speakers. Listen and repeat several times the word you need. - In working on your accent, you will find cursive phrases and poems helpful.
The latter not only help you memorise words but also train your pronunciation. The rhythm of poetry makes you pronounce words clearly and correctly. It is also a great way to train your memory.
Poems, listening to audio materials, watching films in the original language will help you to diversify your lessons and take your mind off the rules. You will be able to memorise most words and their pronunciation rules during live conversation. Pay attention to pronunciation - it is worth it.
