Key:Polish pronunciation respelling
As can be expected in an English-language blog about the history of mostly Polish cuisine, it does mention a fair number of Polish words and names. The Polish language is notoriously tricky for native English speakers to pronounce, which is why I provide pronunciation respelling for some of the Polish words.
The scheme I use is a kind of compromise: it's as close to actual Polish pronunciation as you can get using only those sounds that exist in English. In some cases, two sounds that are distinct to Polish speakers, are approximated by the same English sound. The goal here isn't to make you sound like a native Polish speaker; it's just to help you not butcher Polish words beyond recognition.
The respelling scheme I use is meant to be as intuitive to English speakers as possible, but here's an explanation of the symbols anyway.
Vowels
All Polish vowels, stressed or not, are of uniform length, with no long vowels, diphthongs or schwas. Some of them sound similar to long vowels in English, but are pronounced shorter.
| Respelling | English sound | How it's typically written in Polish |
|---|---|---|
| ah | as in balm, only shorter | a |
| aw | as in bought, only shorter | o |
| e, eh | as in bet | e |
| ee | as in beet, only shorter | i |
| i, ih | as in bit | y |
| oo | as in boot, only shorter | ó, u |
Consonants
Most Polish consonants are quite easy to pronounce on their own. The problem is that they tend to cluster in ways in which they don't in English. It may help to insert very short uh sounds in between the consonants, but ideally, they shouldn't be there.
| Respelling | English sound | How it's typically written in Polish |
|---|---|---|
| b | as in bob | b |
| ch, tch | as in church | cz; ci, ć |
| d | as in dad | d |
| dz | as in dads | dz |
| f | as in foe | f |
| g, gh | as in gag | g |
| H | as in how Scots pronounce loch; if you can't pronounce it, then the h in how is close enough | ch, h |
| j | as in judge | dż; dzi, dź |
| k | as in skunk | k |
| l | as in lolly | l |
| m | as in mom | m |
| n | as in nun | n; ń |
| p | as in spy | p |
| R | as in how Americans pronounce better or how Scots pronounce sorry | r |
| s, ss | as in sauce | s |
| sh | as in shush | sz; si, ś |
| t | as stay | t |
| ts | as in dots | c |
| v | as in vie | w |
| W | as in wow | ł, u |
| y | as in yeah | i, j |
| z | as in zoo | z |
| zh | as in measure | rz, ż; zi, ź |
Syllables and stress
Syllables are separated with dots (·). Stressed syllables are underlined.
Examples
See if it gets any easier. If you want to listen to how these example should be pronounced, then click here and then on the speaker button on the right.
- groch z kapustą (cabbage with peas)
- pronounced: gRawH skah·pooss·tawm
- ciasto rabarbarowe (rhubarb cake)
- pronounced: chahss·taw Rah·bahR·bah·Raw·veh
- piwo z sokiem malinowym (beer with raspberry syrup)
- pronounced: pee·vawss saw·kyem mah·lee·naw·vim
- wódka żołądkowa gorzka (bitter herbal vodka)
- pronounced: voot·kah zhaw·Wawnt·kaw·vah gawsh·kah
- świąteczny barszcz z uszkami (Christmas borscht with small dumplings)
- pronounced: shfyawn·tetch·nih baRshch zoosh·kah·mee
- chleb pszenno-żytni (wheat-and-rye bread)
- pronounced: Hlep pshen·naw·zhit·nee
- ćwikła z chrzanem (beet-and-horseradish relish)
- pronounced: chfee·kWahss H sh ah·nem
- źdźbło żubrówki (a blade of bison grass)
- pronounced: zh j b W aw zhoob·Roof·kee
And finally, the best-known Polish tongue twister:
- W Szczebrzeszynie chrząszcz brzmi w trzcinie (In [the town of] Szczebrzeszyn, a beetle is buzzing in the reed)
- pronounced: f sh ch eh·b zh eh·shih·nyeh H sh awn sh ch b zh mee f t sh ch ee·nyeh
