The Polish alphabet
(click the links to listen to the recordings)
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#
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Letter
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Name of the letter / sound when voiced separately
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Approximate pronunciation
/IPA/
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English sound (*= approx.) equivalent as voiced in
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Polish word with the letter
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[1]
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[2]
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[3]
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[4]
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[5]
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[6]
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1
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A , a
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a
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/a/
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luck, shut
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mama
(mum)
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2
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Ą , ą
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ą
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/ouɳ/
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strong*, gong*
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kąt
(an angle)
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3
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B , b
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be / b
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/be/ - /b/
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best, bad
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beczka
(a barrel)
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4
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C , c
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ce / c
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/tse/ - /ts/
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tsar, tzatziki
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cel
(a target)
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5
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Ć , ć
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cie / ć
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/tʃɪe/ - /tʃɪ/
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cheek, cheese
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ćma
(a moth)
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6
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D , d
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de / d
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/d/
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dance, do
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duży
(big)
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7
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E , e
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e
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/e/
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best, less
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lek
(a drug)
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8
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Ę , ę
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ę
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/eɳ/
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French*,
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lęk
(fear)
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9
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F , f
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ef / f
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/f/
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fast, feed
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fala
(a wave)
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10
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G , g
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gie / g
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/ghɪe/ - /g/
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ghost, go
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gol
(a goal)
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11
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H , h
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ha / h
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/kha/ - /k/
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host, ham
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hamak
(a hummock)
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12
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I , i
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i
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/ɪ/
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beer, feel
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kit
(putty)
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13
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J , j
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jot / j
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/ɪot/ - /ɪɪ/
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yes, you
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jasny
(bright)
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14
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L , l
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el / l
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/el/ - /l/
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lung, lead
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lok
(a lock)
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15
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Ł , ł
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eł / ł
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/eou/ - /w/
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which, water
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łysy
(bald)
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16
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M , m
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em / m
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/em/ - /m/
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mother, must
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mama
(mum)
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17
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N , n
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en / n
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/en/ - /n/
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Ben, nest
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noc
(a night)
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18
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Ń , ń
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eń / ń
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/eñ/ - /ñ/
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El Niño, mini
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dzień
(a day)
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19
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O , o
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o
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/o/
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pot, lot
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koc
(a blanket)
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20
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Ó , ó
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u kreskowane (accented), u zamknięte (closed) / u
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/u/
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look, cool
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ból
(pain)
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21
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P , p
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pe / p
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/pe/ - /p/
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park, put
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park
(a park)
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22
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R , r
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er / r
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/er/ - /r/
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rank, Kirk
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rosa
(dew)
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23
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S , s
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es / s
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/es/ - /s/
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song, last
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sosna
(a pine tree)
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24
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Ś , ś
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eś / ś
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/eʃɪ/ - /ʃɪ/
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sheer, sheet
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świeca
(a candle)
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25
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T, t
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te / t
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/te/ - /t/
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tango, ten
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ten
(this)
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26
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U , u
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u otwarte (open) / u
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/u/
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put
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cud
(a miracle)
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27
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V , v * (only in words of foreign origin)
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fau / -
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as in the words of foreign origin
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as in the words of foreign origin
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volkswagen
(a German car make)
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28
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W , w
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wu / w
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/vu/ - /v/
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vest, love
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warta
(a watch)
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29
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X , x* (only in words of foreign origin)
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iks / ks
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/ɪks/ - /ks/
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Luxembourg
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Xero (ksero)
(a xerox copy)
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30
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Y , y
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igrek / y
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/ɪgrek/ - /ɪ/
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ship, fit
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byk
(a bull)
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31
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Z , z
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zet / z
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/zet/ - /z/
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zulu, zany
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zamek
(a castle)
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32
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Ź , ź (note a small comma over the letter)
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ziet / ź
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/ʒɪet/ - /ʒɪ/
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Georgia*
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źrebak
(a colt, a young horse)
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33
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Ż , ż (note a small dot over the letter)
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żet / ż
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/ʒet/ - /ʒ/
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pleasure,
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żaba
(a frog)
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