Learning to speak Polish(?) for traveling reasons. Help!?

Recently I've been fascinated with Poland. From the food, to the culture and history and everything else. I've been doing quite a bit of research so I can educate myself a bit more. I know more about my other roots than I do about being Polish, and I guess that gap that I had is what's making me go so crazy right now.

I've tried to learn more from my family, but unfortunately, my mother can't offer me any other information other than the fact that her father was Polish (Mom is half French, Italian, and Polish. Dad is Jewish [he's not from Israel so according to Israeli law or something, he's considered Jewish]).

After seeing pictures of Poland, and learning a bit about their society, culture, and some good places to travel (especially their cuisine), I wanted to plan a trip to Poland. However, I figured it would only be appropriate to speak Polish if I'm going to Poland.

Before I jump into learning how to speak it, being a first time learner, how easy or difficult will it be? And, after learning some basics and enough to keep me steady, how easy or difficult will it be to learn other words and phrases? My worry is just the pronunciation and what letters are used for what because after seeing the Polish alphabet, I look at the letters like, "how in the world...".

I tend to learn quicker through context-clues and through visuals than I do by learning the verbs, nouns, adjectives, ect ect like how they would teach you another language if you were in school, yet I don't have the money for Rosetta stone.

Any and all help would be appreciated.

People say it's difficult. I believe them ;) Of course it also depends on your language skills, probably.


Let's start with how to pronounce Polish letters and sounds then:

A a - "ah"
Ą ą - ivona.com/pl/ or if you have problems with it pronounce it as "on" (as in "on/off")
B b - b
C c - you can pronounce it as "ts"
Ć ć
D d - d
E e - "eh"
Ę ę - if you have problems with it pronounce it like "eh" or "en" in "men"
F f - f
G g - pronounce it like "g" in "great" (always)
H h - h
I i - "ee"
J j - pronounce it like "y" in "yes"
K k - k
L l - l
£ ł - pronounce it like "w" in "wave"
M m - m
N n - n
Ń ń - if you have problems with it pronounce as "n"
O o - like "o" in "spot", "stop" or "Harry Potter"
Ó ó - like "oo" in "poo"
P p - p
R r - r
S s - s
Ś ś - if you have problems with it pronounce it as "s"
T t - t
U u - like "oo" in "poo"
W - pronounce it like "v" in "van"
Y - pronounce it like "i" in "pity"
Z - z
- -
Ż - (it's the same as "j" in French in "J'adore Dior" or "jamais")

In bold - letters pronounced in a different way than in English.

Other Polish sounds:

CZ cz - pronounce it like "ch" in "chunky"
SZ sz - pronounce it like "sh" in "shadow"
CH ch - pronounce it like "h"
DZ dz -
D- dź -
DŻ dż - pronounce it like "j" in "joy"
RZ rz - it's pronounced in the same way as "ż" (it's the same as "j" in French in "J'adore Dior" or "jamais")

For example, if you want to order a beer you say:

"Poproszę piwo."

You could pronounce it like:

"Poprosheh peevo."

o - always pronounced like "o" in "spot", "stop" or "Harry Potter"

If you have any questions ask away :)

Wrong, English is commonly spoken among people under 30 years old.

You only need to speak Polish if you're going into the real backwoods.


Let me put it this way:
here is how English has the word:
1. two
and here is how Polish has the word:
1. dwa
2. dwie
3. dwoje
4. dwoch (or dwu)
5. dwaj
6. dwiema
7. dwom (or dwóm)
8. dwoma
9. dwojga
10. dwojgu
11. dwojgiem
12. dwójka
13. dwójki
14. dwójkę
15. dwójką
16. dwójce
17. dwójko

Stop frighten RFL950x or she will go to Greenland.

Yes, because Eskimo–Aleut languages are a doddle to learn!

I generally find that when travelling round Poland my Polish is more often than not replied to in English.

Such languages require a beard.

You actuallly figured right, RFL950X! I roundly disagree with Wulkan's opinion (..though not, of course, with his factsLOL)!
While it's true that people under thirty in Poland, as most everywhere else, will "speak" English, taking the trouble to learn the language of the country to which one's travelling/vacationing, particularly, working, is only plain common sense. If Wulkan were to travel to the USA, he would naturally take the trouble to learn some basic English. Why then ought RFL950X not take the same trouble to learn your language, Wulkan? Why, the former might even learn to speak Polish as well as you. Remeber, pride goeth before the fall:-)

Even if RF were to meet up with a group of Polish Anglophiles, let's say, when over there, there's never any substitution for knowing the language. i.e. culture, of the country one's visiting. I always explained to Poles that they could speak English with me for practice and then their mother tongue in order to tell me what they REALLY meant!

What do you mean by "my facts"?

I have never said that she shouldn't learn Polish I only explained to her it's not a must as she thought that Poland is some god forsaken country where nobody speaks English.

As far as the last part of your statement, I can only agree.
Frankly however, there are becoming fewer and fewer outposts of COMPLETE non-English speaking populations nowadays, thanks in large part to the Internet, television and digital communication which has invaded practically every area of the planet! Even the remotest tribes of Australia or the Phillipines have Yfi connections, unheard of as little as twenty years prior:-)

Certainly, Polish for instance is not a staple language in urban Poland, it simply makes day-to-day interaction that much more practical as well as pleasurable, that's all!

Perhaps merely a personal aside, but my first time in Poland was in an urban center round about the mid-90's, not too recently. At that time, even in tourist establishments, restaurants near major hotels, the wait staff didn't really understand much English, or German or much else aside from Polish:-)

I hadn't planned on using my language as much as I did, but ended up using every word I knew just to get aroundLOL

Why?Anyway,you will not be able to learn Polish at any decent level unless you plan to go there in 25 years.And it still would require a lot of work from you.Don't worry about trying to speak Polish,you won't need it as there will always be around some Polish person who speaks English way better than you speak Polish.


I don't think that's the case.


You can't be serious,you are saying that if I want spend 2 weeks in Hungary I should learn Hungarian?Seriously?


Well,with whole respect and everything,I am Polish and in my case (and I am sure in case of countless other Poles who spent years in the UK or US) it would be me asking you to speak Amglish in order to tell me what you REALLY mean.

Once again, Gordo, on your estimation of younger Poles' English skills, I simply cannot concure, I'm sorry! Indeed, like all continental youth, they speak English with a vengeance, riddled with errors, misread cues and vulgarity!!! Is that the very best of which the supposed best and brightest are truly capable??

I probably have a better grasp of certain nuances of Polish and than many Poles do of English, save for the unusually talented.

I think you got me wrong here.My understanding is that we are discussing an AVERAGE Polish person living in Poland?If so they obviously cannot be fluent but at the same time I am sure that there is plenty of people in Poland who's English skills are on par or better than your Polish skills.What am saying is that it's not any problem to find in Poland a person with English skills enabling conversation on basic to medium level


I am sure you DO but at the same time plenty of Poles (myself included) have way better grasp of English than you Lyzko do have of Polish.And I am not saying that to put you down or anything but this a fact.Your Polish is OK yet it often makes me chuckle.Remember Leje jak zebra?

And,hey I am not unusually talented,i just live in the US for 8 years.

Then let's both a have a good laugh, eh Gordo? It's supposed to be "D. leje jak z cebra." = Lit. "It's raining buckets."

ceber/wiadro

As far as travelling to Hungary or wherever for a two week stay, fourteen days's would be an eternity for me to just go sit on my hands and not be able to communicate comfortable and naturally with the natives! I simply couldn't do it.

Just imagine, using your example, I land in Budapest on a (short) business trip:

£yżka - Oh, good morning, jo reggelt! D'you understand English?
Local - Everrythinkk pairrrrfect ahnderrrstendink.
£yżka - Great! So, what's there to do here in the Pearl of the Danube?
Local - Nooah, aj dawwnt du nahttink, aj hmmm, teeket sellerrr!
£yżka - You misunderstood me! I asked WHAT'S THERE TO DO IN BUDAPEST?
Local - Aj tallink yu, seeerr, nahttink dooink. Aj vorrkink!!

Think I'm going to waste my time in such a scenario, you've got another thing coming:-)

I always return to my favorite quip, recalling our latest (as opposed to our "last") visit to Europe, my wife and mine. We stopped over at a modest but lovely resort on the Baltic, north of Gdynia. Our group was a melting pot of Europe, Poles, Germans, Czechs, Russians, French, Italians etc.. I speak fluent German and engaged in some harmless patter with our neighbors from Berlin at dinner one evening. They insisted on responding in halting English, although both my wife and I are more than able to handle German. After a couple of drinks to ease things a bit, I innocently remarked that their English was pretty ok and guessed they liked speaking to us to practice their English. Rather in a huff, the woman of the couple reminded me that their English was university trained, and therefore perfect, and that they needed NO "practice"; I was the one who needed practice, "as all foreigners.." (I'm quoting)

This double standard floors me each time.

Nonetheless, it was a great trip:-)))))

It would be even greater trip if someone showed some appreciation how amasing polyglot you are, isn't it? :-)

Yes, Wulkan. AmaZing, isn't itLOL

Naaah, I didn't/don't fish for compliments, just bass:-)

We do not expect or dream that you will be able to speak Polish.
Luckily for you we can understand American English better than English English ;)

Isn't that always true? :) It has been in my experience.

It is true bar African Americans (in general).

interestingly i find them very easy to understand

yes me too

blacks have easy accents lol

It is interesting and good to know that a good number of people in Poland know English. Though it wouln't hurt to learn just the basic vocabulary and expressions.

Yerrik, ALWAYS learn at least a modicum of the local lingo before going basically anywhere on the planet where English is not the native tongue, be it Poland, The Netherlands, Germany, Denmark etc...

Non-native English speakers worldwide do admittedly exxcellent PR about their English. As I've said, even I've been fooled on occasion. After "waking up" however, I quickly smartened up and used exlusively the native language of wherever I was, even in Israel and my Hebrew is almost non-existant. Things were just fine until I wanted to say something other than 'Shalom' It was all downhill from thereLOL

:-)

You may try this for start: supermemo.eu/polish_phrase_book

Should be enough for a 2 weeks stay.

Cinek

That's the first sensible post back to RFL's query I've read so far. Cinek! It's basic level enough for a newbie and therefore more practical than all sorts of complicated grammar for the time being.

Keep 'em a-comin'LOL

Merged: Where can i learn how to speak Polish?

is there a free website I can go to learn polish

try book2.de.
there should be file enpl or something like that. I used it when I lerned italina, it helped.
dr

ok thanks I will try that

Merged: need teacher

Hi i am looking to learn how to speak polish can anyone help me

Kai, are you in Krakow?