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Discover the Polish alphabet with its 32 letters, including unique characters like Ą and Ł that alter pronunciation, through words such as autobus, wąż, and Łukasz. Learn also about Polish digraphs and the special trigraph dzi.
  1. Letters with diacritics (Ą, Ć, Ę, Ł, Ń, Ó, Ś, Ź, Ż) change the pronunciation and meaning of words.
  2. In the Polish language, digraphs Sz, Rz, Cz, Dz, Dż, Dź are used, which represent single sounds.
  3. Besides digraphs, the Polish alphabet also has one trigraph, which is: dzi.
A (A)Autobus (Bus)F (F)Foka (Seal)M (M)Mama (Mum)Ś (Ś)Śnieg (Snow)
Ą (Ą)Wąż (Snake)G (G)Góra (Gountain)N (N)Nos (Nose)T (T)Telefon (Telephone)
B (B)Banan (Banana)H (H)Herbata (Tea)Ń (Ń)Koń (Hoof)U (U)Ucho (Ear)
C (C)Cukier (Sugar)I (I)Igła (Needle)O (O)Oko (Eye)
 		W (W)Woda (Water)
Ć (Ć moth)Ćma (Moth)J (J)Jajko (Egg)Ó (Ó)Stół (Stół)Y (Y)Ryba (Rye)
D (D)Dom (House)K (K)Kot (Cat)P (P)Pies (Dog)Z (Z)Zamek (Castle)
E (E)Ekran (Screen)L (L)Las (Forest)R (R)Rower (Bike)Ż (Ż)Żaba (Frog)
Ę (Ę)Zęby (Teeth)Ł (Łoś)Łoś (Moose)S (S)Sok (Juice)Ź (Ź)Źrebak (Foal)

Exceptions!

  1. The letters q, v, x are not part of the Polish alphabet – they appear only in borrowed words (e.g. quiz, video, x-ray).

Exercise 1: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. W polskim alfabecie jest litera ___, która zmienia wymowę słowa.

(In the Polish alphabet there is the letter ___, which changes the pronunciation of the word.)

2. Dwuznak '___' wymawiamy jako jeden dźwięk, na przykład w słowie 'szkoła'.

(The digraph '___' is pronounced as a single sound, for example in the word 'szkoła'.)

3. Litera ___ w słowie Wąż zmienia jego znaczenie i wymowę.

(The letter ___ in the word Wąż changes its meaning and pronunciation.)

4. W polskim alfabecie nie ma litery '___'; używa się jej tylko w wyrazach zapożyczonych.

(In the Polish alphabet there is no letter '___'; it is used only in borrowed words.)

5. Trójznak '___' jest wyjątkowy i występuje w języku polskim.

(The trigraph '___' is unique and occurs in the Polish language.)

6. Podając swoje imię, możesz powiedzieć: "Mam na imię ___".

(When giving your name, you can say: "My name is ___".)

Introduction to the Polish Alphabet

This lesson introduces the Polish alphabet, which consists of 32 letters. It is based on the Latin alphabet but includes special characters with diacritical marks: ą, ć, ę, ł, ń, ó, ś, ź, ż. Learning these letters is essential for reading, writing, and correct spelling in Polish.

Polish Letters and Pronunciation

Many Polish letters with diacritics change the sound and meaning of words. For example, the letters ą and ę are nasal vowels, while ł is pronounced like the English w. Here are some examples:

  • Ł in Łukasz is pronounced similar to English w.
  • Ą in wąż produces a nasalized vowel sound.
  • Ś in śnieg creates a soft sh sound.

Digraphs and Trigraphs

Polish also features digraphs—two letters that form a single sound—and a unique trigraph:

  • Common digraphs include sz, rz, cz, dz, dż, and dź. For example, szkoła uses sz to represent the “sh” sound.
  • The special trigraph dzi is also used, as in dzień.

Letters Not in the Polish Alphabet

Some letters, like q, v, and x, are not part of standard Polish and only appear in borrowed words, such as quiz, video, and x-ray.

Summary of Key Points

  • The Polish alphabet has 32 letters with unique characters that affect pronunciation.
  • Letters with diacritics significantly change how words sound.
  • Digraphs and a trigraph represent distinct sounds not found as single letters in the alphabet.
  • Understanding these letters is crucial for spelling, reading, and communication.

Differences from English Alphabet and Useful Expressions

Unlike English, Polish includes nasal vowels and specific softened consonants represented by letters with diacritics, changing both pronunciation and meaning. For example, while English does not use diacritics, Polish distinguishes many sounds that are unfamiliar to English speakers.

Useful phrases to practice might include:

  • „Mam na imię Łukasz.” (My name is Łukasz.)
  • „Dzwonię z telefonu.” (I am calling from the telephone.)
  • „Wąż jest zwierzęciem.” (A snake is an animal.)

Written by

This content has been designed and reviewed by the coLanguage pedagogical team: About coLanguage

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Joanna Majchrowska

Master of Spanish Philology

University of Lodz

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Poland


Last Updated:

Saturday, 11/10/2025 02:26