Polish · A1 · Pronunciation & alphabet
The Polish alphabet: Read Ł, Ó, and the letters with marks
Start with three spelling clues: ł sounds roughly like English w, ó sounds like Polish u, and w normally sounds like English v. Keep the marks when you write: l and ł are different letters. Read five real words first, then use the rest of the alphabet as a reference when you meet a new spelling.
Library date
Decode a few real words
In Łódź, the first letter is ł, and the ó has the same vowel sound as u in tu (here). The final dź is a soft consonant spelling; it can sound closer to ć at the end of a word because of final devoicing. Learn the city name by listening as well as reading.
The little marks do real work
Compare laska (cane) and łaska (grace or favour). Ą and ę also change how a word is read, and their realisation depends on what follows. In dziękuję, the two written ę letters need not sound alike in natural speech. Copy a recording of the whole word instead of giving the letter one fixed English equivalent.
Practise from a sign
Take wejście (entrance) and wyjście (exit). Locate the w in both, then listen to the different first syllables. Write each once from memory. That is more useful for finding a door than reciting the alphabet in order.