sz, cz and rz
sz is sh, cz is ch, and rz sounds like the s in pleasure. Put them together and szczęście (happiness) is SHCHENSH-cheh.
Polish course · 27 languages in one app
Learn Polish by speaking it
Polish spelling looks like a wall of consonants until you learn a handful of rules, and then it's beautifully consistent. Talvo's first units cover the sounds, grammar is explained as it comes up, and a tutor lets you practice out loud.
First lesson free · iPhone and Mac, one subscription
Polish · First phrasesDzień dobry!
jen DOH-brih
Good morning / Hello
Shop assistantDzień dobry! Co podać?Hello! What can I get you?
Your first Polish phrases
Twelve phrases for shops, cafés and meeting people, with a guide to the sounds behind the spelling.
| Polish | Say it like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Dzień dobry! | jen DOH-brih | Good morning / HelloPolite, all day |
| Cześć! | CHESHCH | Hi! / Bye!With friends |
| Jak się masz? | yahk shyeh MAHSH | How are you? |
| Dobrze, dziękuję. | DOHB-zheh, jen-KOO-yeh | Fine, thank you. |
| Mam na imię Sam. | mahm nah EE-myeh sam | My name is Sam. |
| Miło mi! | MEE-woh mee | Nice to meet you! |
| Poproszę kawę. | poh-PROH-sheh KAH-veh | A coffee, please. |
| Ile to kosztuje? | EE-leh toh kosh-TOO-yeh | How much is it? |
| Poproszę rachunek. | poh-PROH-sheh rah-KHOO-nek | The check, please. |
| Gdzie jest toaleta? | gjeh yest toh-ah-LEH-tah | Where's the restroom? |
| Nie rozumiem. | nyeh roh-ZOO-myem | I don't understand. |
| Dziękuję bardzo! | jen-KOO-yeh BAR-dzoh | Thank you very much! |
Polish stress almost always falls on the second-to-last syllable. ł sounds like the w in wow, and ę at the end of a word is said almost like a plain e.
A conversation you'll practice
A morning stop at a bakery in Kraków. The tutor plays the shop assistant.
Shop assistantDzień dobry! Co podać?Hello! What can I get you?
YouPoproszę dwie bułki i kawę.Two bread rolls and a coffee, please.
Shop assistantCoś jeszcze?Anything else?
YouNie, dziękuję. To wszystko.No, thank you. That's all.
Shop assistantDwanaście złotych.Twelve zloty.
Mistakes Talvo helps you fix
Seven cases
Endings change with a noun's role: kawa (coffee), poproszę kawę (a coffee, please), bez kawy (without coffee). Talvo explains each one in plain English as it comes up.
Pan or pani
With strangers, Poles say pan (sir) or pani (madam) instead of you: Czy pan mówi po angielsku? means do you speak English, sir?
ł and w
Polish ł sounds like English w (miło is MEE-woh), and Polish w sounds like English v (woda, water, is VOH-dah).
How Talvo teaches Polish
- Tap Replay or Slowly on any line the tutor says, and Show translation when you need it
- Every unit, from beginner (A1) to advanced (C1), is written around your interests and the words you already know
- Role-play a café, a market, a taxi or meeting someone new. The tutor speaks first, waits for your answer and corrects you with the reason
- Use the live interpreter when you're talking with a native speaker for real
- Every new word goes into your review deck and comes back right before you'd forget it
Questions about learning Polish
Is Polish hard to learn?
The spelling looks hard but follows clear rules, and stress almost always falls on the second-to-last syllable. Cases take the longest, which is why Talvo explains them as you meet them instead of all at once.
Can I learn Polish with Talvo for free?
Yes, to start. Your first lesson, three live-interpreter exchanges, your reviews and your deck are free. Talvo Pro unlocks unlimited lessons and conversations, and the yearly plan starts with a 7-day free trial.
How is Talvo different from Duolingo?
Duolingo is built around short tap-and-match exercises and daily streaks. Talvo is built around speaking: lessons written around your interests, a tutor you talk to out loud, and a live interpreter for real conversations. Plenty of learners use both.
Can I use Talvo on my Mac?
Yes. Talvo is a native app for iPhone and Mac, and one subscription covers both.
More language guides
Say your first Polish sentence today.
The first lesson is free. It takes about five minutes.