You have stated what i was thinking......for a complete novice 301 verbs is going to be difficult, but i didn't want to put the poor guy off too much, and i don't know if he does have some rudimentary knowledge of the language. Tbh, if he doesn't, any book on grammar is going to prove difficult.
So how difficult is this new book to understand? I am interested, but unsure as to whether it will be too advanced for me.Guess at 650 pages long, i will be in for some serious reading if i buy it!!
I would say it's very easy to understand and just about covers every part of the Polish language. It's a book that can't be read straight through because there is a lot to take in, and it best to read a few chapters and then reread again. It is also a good reference book and one that you can keep referring to. I would also add that it would be for intermediate to advanced learners.
Next time you are in a high street bookshop, have a look through it.
Cześć, Can anyone recommend any polish books pertaining to adjectives, pronouns, and nouns?. Because I really like the 301 verbs by Klara Janecki which have fully conjugated words in all tenses. And i'm looking for something in that sense. I can't seem to find any books on amazon,etc. Seems rather non existent.
Just ordered the (paperback version of the)Sadowska book!!! WOW!!! Previewed it on line and it looks even more comprehensive than Zagórska-Brooks' "A Reference Grammar of Polish" (1970) put out by Mouton, The Hague:-)
I know the Bielec volume quite well and it's the difference between any "essential" vs. "comprehensive" grammar; the former's for less serious or advanced students, tourists etc. and the latter's geared towards serious academics, translators or the like:-) An essential grammar tells you what the author thinks you SHOULD know, i.e. what's "necessary", whereas, a comprehensive grammar is basically a reference tool, telling all of what there IS to know, regardless of whether it be 'difficult', arcane or complicated.
I am using the book and find it an excellent resource. I do find it quite 'meaty' in that a lot of information is covered, however, if you work through this book systematically, and SLOWLY, It really is a worthwhile purchase.
Her two exercise books, "Polish for Beginners" as well as "Polish for Intermediates", I find equally useful in fact! They allow one to practice what was already digested in the Essential Grammar:-)
Still waiting on the Sadowska, though what I've been able to glean thus far from on line, she goes into excruciatingly fascinating depth about ALL manner of Polish language difficulties, especially for foreigners.
Impressive resume she has too, if anyone's interested:-)
Everyone to their own, but personally I hate grammar books.
I don't mind textbooks books that try to make learning fun or interesting even though often I buy them with the best of intentions and then never open them.
If I did have a grammar book I would only use it for reference, I wouldn't try to learn everything in it from the start to the end.
Catsoldier, "grammar" in and of itself doesn't exist; it's merely an abstraction not meant to TEACH language, but as a fulcrum upon which to balance knowledge once one has learned the foundations of the language. It's therefore not a replacement, but an addendum meant to enhance the experience of language learning once one has learned how to speak/write it.
I have found these 4 pdf grammar books that seem to be of good quality. The first three are all by Oscar E. Swan, but vary in length and the year made. Have any of you heard of him and his pdfs? Are they good for Polish beginners? For example I'm just starting the alphabet and want to get into basic grammar, are these good for that?
You could use them as a reference or additional information source when you need deeper explanation of some details, but if you want to use books like these as the main method of learning, you'll gain nothing more than frustration. To learn a language you need a tutor or a book that will introduce you the lang step by step, with a lot of exercises and examples.
Better try finding a Polish course in a lang school or a computer based course. Just search on PF, there are many examples, reviews and opinions on many books and programs.
Just search on PF, there are many examples, reviews and opinions on many books and programs.
A good first book is Polish in 4 weeks by M Kowalska. It's available online and comes with a CD. Try Amazon. No way will you finish the book in 4 weeks, but it does guide you through the grammar step by step. Or try phrase books to start with, but really you need to listen to how the language is spoken and pronounced as much as possible.
Dana Bielec's book is excellent, but I've just ordered Sadowska's for a more comprehensive grammar. Should come in a few days. I notice that Bielec uses her own verb categories (is it perhaps similar to Szober's?). I wonder how Sadowska categorizes verbs. I think the Tokarski categories are probably the most common. Does anyone know?
Sadowska's approach is far more contemporary and user-friendly than either the Tokarski or even the old Zagórska-Brooks hardcover Mouton-Hague edition from the late 70's. The latter, for instance, deals with numerals and number quirks academically, but not practically. Thankfully, Sadowska's volume's is entitled "A Comprehensive Grammar", meaning, it includes ALL THE STUFF of Polish morphology, not merely the stuff certain authors think you need to know, thereby leaving out the nitty-gritty of the grammar.
I review a number of Polish products on my language-learning website at ellenjovin.com/reviews/polish/products. I used them a couple of years ago.
I did find it challenging to locate good materials for Polish, but a few resources - Bielec's books as well as a book by Oscar Swan - were quite helpful.
The cases and mutating forms of Polish require a lot of practice! I definitely needed a lot of grammar instruction.
I generally like the various Routledge grammar series (Bielec's books are published by them), but coming to the Routledge language books with some experience can be helpful. Otherwise they go a bit fast, I feel.
Again, the Sadowska comprehensive grammar is the very first in English to explain the umpteen mutations etc. on a not exclusively academic level. Haven't yet seen any better for my money.
Does anyone know which one is the ultimate reference for Poles when it comes to grammar? In french we have Le Bon usage which is a huge 1500 pages book. I don't know if anything similar exists for polish.
Gramatyka języka polskiego by Piotr Bąk seems like a thorough book (more than 500 pages I think), but I haven't bought it yet.
Apart from that, I do own the Słownik poprawnej polszczyzny from PWN, which is mostly a dictionary highlighting difficult words or usages, and includes a quite thorough grammatical guide. But I still don't always find the answers to my questions... If anyone has a suggestion for a good grammatical reference book in polish...
I have no background in Polish and would like to purchase a very good beginner's grammar book. This should include, if possible, copious exercises serving to test my ability to digest the material in each chapter.
I am just starting to learn Polish and I am wondering if there is a good Polish grammar book that will teach me how to inflect the nouns and adjectives with tables and examples. I am really confused by the grammar at the moment and need some help.
