How to Learn the Polish Language
If you're planning to travel overseas to Poland, you might feel compelled to learn the Polish language to lessen the language barrier. The best method for learning is a combination of techniques that include visual and audio formats. Even if you're not planning a trip, it can be fun and rewarding to learn a new language, particularly you have cultural ties to Poland.
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Instructions
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There Are Various Methods of Learning Polish
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Purchase a book on learning the Polish language. The Amazon.com marketplace has a number of entries for "learn to speak Polish" books. Some of the best sellers include: "Basic Polish: Learn to Speak and Understand Polish with Pimsleur Language Programs" (Pimsleur) and "Conversational Polish: Learn to Speak and Understand Polish with Pimsleur Language Programs" (Pimsleur). The intensive Pimsleur language programs are the same ones used by the CIA, FBI and other government organizations to teach language quickly and effectively. Other top-selling books include: "Hippocrene Beginner's Polish" (Book & 2 Audio CDs) (Polish Edition) by Ewa Wanasz Bialasiewicz, "Polish Verbs & Essentials of Grammar," Second Edition (Verbs and Essentials of Grammar Series) by Oscar Swan and "Czesc, jak sie masz?" by Wladyslaw Miodunka.
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Purchase Polish audio tapes. Many of the books listed above come with companion audio tapes. While taking a road trip or commuting to work, you can practice listening and speaking Polish in the comfort of your own car. For a fairly small sum, you can buy the Pimsleur audio CDs or the Berlitz Travel Packs Polish CDs. Pimsleur's "Quick and Simple Polish" received 5/5 stars on Amazon as a "must-have" for people looking to learn Polish through audio.
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Purchase Polish language learning software. The most popular Polish language software is Rosetta Stone.You'll see images and written words, while also hearing native Polish speakers say the words. The CD-ROMs include questions and answers, shopping terms and basic conversational phrases.
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Find a language learning program online. If you listen to your iPod daily, check out "One Minute Languages: Polish," a free podcast featuring ten short-but-essential lessons for travelers. Some people learn Polish via the Skype program, which works with a software download and a microphone. It's sort of like talking to Polish natives via the Internet-phone, but you may find this flexible tutoring method works for you because you can enjoy impersonal lessons right from the comfort of your own home. There are a vast number of sites online where you can learn popular Polish phrases free of charge. However, this method isn't recommended because it's not structured in a way that moves you logically from step to step so you really grasp the language.
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Get a private tutor or take a few classes. In the U.S., a number of colleges offer summer school courses in Polish. Arizona State University has a 9-12 week course, followed by an optional three week practicum in Poznan, Poland. Indiana University in Bloomington offers an eight week course in "first year Polish." The University of Chicago sometimes offers summer Polish courses, but not every year. The State University College at New Palz in New York City offers three days and 16 hours worth of weekend immersion courses in Polish throughout the year. The University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania offers both intensive beginner and intensive intermediate level six week courses.
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Visit Poland. As the saying goes, the best way to truly learn a language is to fully immerse yourself into the culture. Instead of staying at a hostel or English-speaking resort, try to find a host family to take you in, where you will hear the language spoken all day long. You'll quickly learn essential phrases like "Where is the restroom," ("W przypadku, gdy s... to która") "I'll have a beer" ("Ja znajd... się na piwo") and "I don't understand" ("Nie rozumiem"). While in Poland, you may want to take a few courses at the Prolog Language School, the International School of Polish Language and Culture or the Center of Polish Language -- all in Kraków.
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Tips & Warnings
Learning a new language can be rewarding at times but discouraging at other times. You must stay motivated and disciplined to grasp all the lessons. You may want to convince a friend, a spouse or another family member to learn the language with you. That way, you'll split resources and have someone to practice with. Do your best to immerse yourself in the language by seeking out native Polish speakers either online or in person. Don't expect to learn the language in just a few weeks, as some of these instructional items promise. It could take months before your understanding reaches a satisfactory level. Remember, practice makes perfect!
The Polish alphabet is different than ours as there is no "Q," "V" or "X." Also, other letters may look like their English counterparts, but are pronounced completely different. For instance, a "J" makes a "Y" sound, a "W" makes a "V" sound and the "C" makes a "Ts" sound. So the word "Ciebie" would actually be pronounced "Tseebyeh." Then, of course, there are special characters with accent marks you have probably never seen before. The letters A, C, E, L, O, S and Z all have accented variants that are pronounced differently than the plain letters. The Polish language has Nominative, Genitive and Dative -- plus four cases: Accusative, Instrumental, Locative and Vocative. Learning the Polish language can be tricky, particularly with spelling, so it is important that you use a combination of methods -- both written text and aural audio -- so you can fully learn to write, read, hear and speak Polish.
