Learn Polish

How to learn Polish language?

Learning Polish may seem daunting, but it isn’t actually different from learning other foreign languages. To be successful in learning any language, all you need is time and dedication—and Repeto, of course! By spending just a little time each day studying Polish, you’ll start seeing improvements in your reading, listening, writing and speaking in no time.

Just remember not to get discouraged! Polish is a difficult language, so there’s no reason to worry if you can’t speak fluently after only a few weeks. If you practice every day, find a language partner, and engage in conversation, you’re guaranteed to see results.

Another way to enhance your language learning is to start easy. Language experts recommend avoiding complex Polish grammar at the beginning. Instead, focus on useful phrases and build core vocabulary. You’ll be surprised at how much easier Polish will be.

One final tip is to focus on letter pronunciation. Because Polish is a phonetic language, learning how to vocalize letters will help greatly in remembering vocabulary, speaking, and pronunciation.

Why learn Polish?

When it comes to learning languages, one thing is more important than all the rest: motivation! Having a reason to learn Polish will help you stay focused, dedicated, and engaged. Many people try to master the language because they have links to Poland and Polish family, but there are countless other reasons to learn Polish.

First, Poland has an incredibly rich culture and history. Once you know the language, you will be able to immerse yourself in original Polish literature, film, and art without having to rely on distracting translations.

Also, since Polish is one of the main Slavic languages, learning Polish will help you learn other languages with ease. Knowing Polish will make learning Russian, Czech, Slovak, Croatian, Bulgarian, and other languages a piece of cake.

Furthermore, Poland makes a great tourist destination. It has magnificent cities—Kraków, Wrocław, and Gdańsk, to name a few—with fascinating architecture, picturesque landscapes, and hundreds of tourist attractions.

When you visit Poland, you’ll also find that the people there are super hospitable. Polish cuisine is delicious, too, and the prices in the country are extremely affordable. Knowing the language will make travel easier and more fun!

With all these reasons to learn Polish (and so many more!), it’s no wonder why someone would want to learn Polish. Here at Repeto, we’re dedicated to help you achieve your language-learning goal.

How long does it take to learn Polish?

It’s difficult to predict how long learning Polish will take because the answer depends on so many factors. Our native language plays a major role, as well as our experience in language acquisition. Learning speed also depends on how much time we dedicate to studying Polish and what methods we use.

For instance, an experienced language learner from the Czech Republic who moved to Poland and studies Polish 3 hours a day will certainly master Polish faster than an inexperienced learner from China, who only studies Polish 15 minutes a day.

However, if you are from an English-speaking country, we can give you a rough estimate…

The Foreign Service Institute (FSI) created a table that categorizes foreign languages according to their difficulty for English-speaking learners. The Polish language appears in Category 4, which means that it’s a fairly difficult language to learn. The FSI estimates that it requires around 1100 hours of study to reach a level of General Professional Proficiency.

We hope you are not discouraged. Below you will find a few tips how to optimize the process and achieve good results fast!

How can I learn Polish quickly?

It’s true that studying the Polish language can be a challenge. However, if you start with a positive mindset and good strategies, you can speed up the process and ultimately succeed!

Below, you’ll find a few tips on what you can do to learn Polish more quickly. If you practice Polish consistently over a year, you’ll be surprised at just how much you can learn. After just 12 months, you should achieve Level B1 or B2, be able to read simple texts, and even hold short conversations with native speakers.

Here are a few tips on how to achieve these results in the first 12 months.

1. Start with Polish alphabet and phonetics

Polish is a very phonetic language. This means that the relationship between how you write words and how you pronounce them is stronger than it is in most languages. In other words, if you know how to pronounce Polish words, you’ll be able to remember them better and recognize them when somebody else says them. Not only will this positively impact your pronunciation, but it’ll also be a boon to your confidence when speaking.

Believe us, learning phonetics is key to learning Polish. If you master phonetics first, everything else will be so much easier.

Even better, learning phonetics is actually pretty simple. Aside from a few caveats, many letters in the Polish alphabet are pronounced exactly the same as they are in English: a, b, d, e, f, o, l, k, t, z.

Other Polish letters are pronounced very similarly to letters in the English alphabet, even if they’re not exact matches. For instance, the Polish w is the English v, and the Polish ł is the English w.

Lastly, some Polish letters and letters combinations are pronounced the same way: The Polish u and ó, for example, are pronounced the same (they both sound like the English oo). The same goes for the Polish ż and rz, which both sound like the j in the French name Jacques.

As you can see, phonetics isn’t rocket science. After just one week of study, you should have a firm understanding of Polish pronunciation and even start learning basic words and phrases.

2. Learn Polish daily

This tip is relevant to just about every skill and subject out there—not just learning Polish! Studying every day is not only good for our memory, but it’s also a great way to stay motivated. If you practice a skill daily, you’ll more clearly see the progress you make and stay invested in your progress.

But how can we practice something every day when we have such busy lives?

Studies show that the best way to make a new habit is to do it the same time every day. It can be 8 o’clock in the morning, right after dinner, or even at 3:00 a.m. No matter what time is best for you, consistency will do wonders for your daily language practice.

So, if you’re serious about learning, make sure you dedicate 30-60 minutes each day to studying Polish. Regardless of what time you’ve selected, when your study hour arrives, just start learning.

If you repeat this daily for a few weeks, you’ll form a habit and study sessions will become a normal part of your day. Just imagine how much you can remember in 365 days if you study consistently every day!

3. Speak and write as much as possible

It’s no wonder why language learners like reading and listening—because it’s easy! However, there’s nothing worse than realizing a few months into your practice that you don’t know how to say any of the words you’ve learned. That’s why it’s so important to incorporate both speaking and writing into your Polish study.

Some people think that speaking can be learned through listening or reading alone, but it’s simply not true. Recognizing a word isn’t the same as producing it in speech or writing.

Though speaking and writing may be challenging, these activities engage our brains more and benefit our learning process. When we speak, we remember words better, build our confidence, and move forward. After all, speaking is how children learn their language, too!

Therefore, to truly learn how to speak Polish, make sure you include speaking and writing sessions into your learning process. One method is to translate sentences from English to Polish and ask somebody to check them. Polish language Facebook groups are a fantastic resource for this.

Finding a speaking partner can also be a huge help. Here at Repeto, a good website to explore this is italki.com.

Another fun way to practice speaking is through a language exchange. Pair up with a Polish speaker and teach one another your native languages—for free! Not only will you learn Polish more quickly, but you’ll also get to learn about the Polish culture and make a new friend.

4. Repeat!

When I was studying French, I made one huge mistake: Though I kept learning new material, I never came back to review what I already learned.

The results were disastrous. I spent hours and hours studying the language, but I remembered very little. What a waste!

That’s why repetition is absolutely essential to learning new skills. From the ancient Romans (Repetitio mater studiorum est) to modern psychologists, experts confirm that humans learn by repetition.

Therefore, it’s crucial to include repetition into the learning process. To do so, divide your learning session into two parts. Dedicate your first half to new material, and spend the second half reviewing the material you’ve already seen.

It may seem like reviewing old material is a waste of time, but you won’t believe how amazing your results will be. Repetition allows you to remember things for longer, cements your knowledge, and makes the learning process much more efficient. Not only will review help you stay motivated, but it’ll also let you achieve your learning goals.

I hope these questions, answers, and tips help you on your Polish-learning journey. However, Repeto is always here to support you! Don’t hesitate to contact us or post a question on our forum if you need extra help.