Translation of an article from the site www.thepolyglotdream.com.
I am often asked the question “Why did you decide to learn such and such a language?” I admit that I do not have a universal answer to this question. I learned each of the languages I speak various reasons and under different circumstances.
How I started learning Polish
If the reason for studying foreign language everyone has their own - subjective and personal, then the question“how to teach”will be of interest to many. Especially for those who plan to study independently and from the basics.
The first thing I did after visiting Poland was buyPolish course from the famous company ASSIMIL, which publishes a series of courses on the study of European and other languages.
I chose this course because it best suits my method of learning foreign languages.
Here are the main advantages of ASSIMIL books:
- Funny dialogues from life
- Texts in two languages
- Phonetics explained
- Grammar on your fingers
- Effective exercises
- Lots of pictures
- Audio recordings in the target language only
Polish pronunciation - first difficulties
When you just start immersing yourself in another language, everything seems new and unfamiliar.
Concerning Polish pronunciation, then two things (both audibly and visually) struck me:nasal sounds and consonant combinations. The nasal sounds were familiar to me since I already spoke French and Portuguese. The nasal “en” in Polish is written like “ę” in the word “węch” (smell).
But I was much more surprised by the combinations of consonants:
Cz, dz, dż, dzi, dż, drz, sz, ść, szc
It won't take you long to learn how to pronounce these sounds individually. But imagine them in a sentence:
“Skąd moge wiedzieć dlaczego przestal pisać do ciebe?”
At first it seems that learning to pronounce all this is almost impossible, but with a certain approach there will not be much difficulty. But more on that in future articles.
Is Polish grammar difficult or easy?
Like any Slavic language, Polish has cases and declensions. But those who know Russian, Ukrainian or Belarusian language can perceive the meanings of many words even by ear. Learning grammar will also be much easier for them.
Advice: don’t pay too much attention to grammar; it will come latently with the gradual mastery of the language.
Be positive
Although at first glance Polish may seem difficult to master, remember how many people have learned to communicate in it before you. The main thing is the attitude towards the language. I won't say anything new, but regular classes 20-30 minutes in a few months they will bring such results that you will even be surprised. There is another way - to immerse yourself in language environment for several months in Poland. If there is such an opportunity, I recommend going.
Conclusion
You can learn to speak Polish in 2-3 months, if your native language included in Slavic group. Watch a video lesson of Polish for beginners.
It is quite possible to master a language like Polish on your own, without turning to teachers for help or attending courses. However, the “do it yourself” option is not for everyone. Why? Because learning Polish from scratch at home will require a lot high abilities to self-organization - the student himself will need to “work hard” every day, constantly searching for the necessary data, memorizing the material found. If this scares you, it is better to contact a Polish tutor. Those who have such a quality as perseverance, and who really want to achieve the required results as quickly as possible, will definitely succeed.
At the same time, one should not exaggerate, considering that the process self-study requires supernatural abilities, and that's just extra " headache" It also has many advantages - the student is his own “master” - he creates the most convenient schedule for himself, and works as much as he can. The Polish language teacher does not dictate his terms and program to him. You can teach only what, in the student’s opinion, is interesting and necessary for him, he has the opportunity to devote maximum amount time to weak points.
Is it possible to quickly learn Polish at home?
If the previous paragraph “annoys” a beginning polyglot, he should enter the phrase “I’m looking for a Polish language tutor” into a search engine (searching for a teacher via the Internet is convenient because you can find reviews about the person and get acquainted with the opinions of those who have already applied to him for services).
If not, that's just great! After all, another advantage of self-study is significant money savings. You will have to spend money, perhaps, on textbooks. But they can also be found on the Internet.
At the same time, do not forget about the “correct” learning system. If the student is not outstanding teacher, it’s better to use the best practices of specialists. Without a competent methodology, neither books, nor video lessons, nor audio materials will save a polyglot beginner, and the answer to the question “how to quickly learn Polish at home” in this case will be obvious - no way.
Where can I get the technique? On the same Internet. Exists a large number of thematic sites with courses created using modern techniques, textbooks that can be downloaded for free.
Video tips on how to start learning Polish on your own
Also, at any time, a newcomer who has Internet access can communicate with experienced teachers, since learning Polish at home without outside help is still very difficult. They will be happy to help him construct sentences, tell him how to correctly pronounce this or that word, etc. All that is required for this is a program such as Skype and a microphone.
Are you asking yourself how to learn Polish at home as quickly as possible? short time? It's very simple - be patient and pay attention to the lessons most of your free time.
What features does it have? given language:
- there are a lot of hissing sounds in it. For a beginner learning conversational part, you will have to work hard on the correct pronunciation.
- it is characterized by dynamic stress, which, however, in most cases “falls” on the penultimate syllable;
- Polish pronouns have short as well as full forms;
- a large number of German languages “migrated” into this language at one time, French words, he is also “rich” in words from Latin.
It is best to learn a foreign language, even one very similar to your native one, with a native speaker. After all, this is the only way you will hear correct pronunciation and get used to colloquial speech. However, it is not always possible to attend courses or classes, even if they are free. In this case, an audio course of the Polish language for self-study is ideal for you. You can listen to audio lessons without looking up from your usual life: on the subway, in the car, in the kitchen, in the gym or in any other place convenient for you, when you have a free minute.
We have selected for you the most effective audio lessons of the Polish language for self-study, according to experienced students. You can download Polish audio courses on our website completely free of charge!
“Simple Polish” Plotnikova O.V.
The most popular among students is the audio course by O. V. Plotnikova. "Simple Polish." The course is intended for those who are just starting to learn the language. In addition to audio lessons, the course also contains text materials that facilitate better learning of the materials. If you decide to learn Polish on your own, then you should start with the “Simple Polish” manual.
“Polish from scratch” Mochalova T.S.
“Polish for everyone. Read. Listen. Speak” Palyanova G.V., Palyanova I.V., Borisevich E.V.
Another trustworthy course is Polish for Everyone. The manual will become an indispensable assistant for those who are just starting to learn the basics of the Polish language. In addition to audio lessons you will find texts different levels difficulties. At the end of each text there is a Polish-Russian dictionary. With this course you will not only learn conversational skills, but also master grammar.
“Conversational Polish in dialogues” Ermola V.I.
“Hurra!!! po polsku 1» Małgorzata Małolepsza, Aneta Szymkiewicz
For initial study Polish language will do and the first part of the trilogy “Hurra! po polsku". The authors carefully studied the lessons, selected texts and audio files especially for beginners. Learn Polish with audio lessons “Hurra! po polsku" you can do it yourself at home. The course includes a textbook, workbook with tasks and audio lessons. Download Tutorial Download Notebook Download Audio
“Hurra!!! po polsku 2» Małgorzata Małolepsza, Aneta Szymkiewicz
For more experienced students, the second part of the trilogy “Hurr!a po polsku” is offered. As in the first year, students are offered a textbook, workbook and audio lessons. The materials are selected in such a way that you simply won’t get bored! The manual is suitable for independent work.
Knowledge of foreign languages is not a luxury, but a necessity that opens almost any door for a person. Knowing a foreign language, we can get a job in a successful company, find new friends in any corner globe, go on holiday abroad without worrying about how to find mutual language with the aborigines. Today, not only English or German, but also Polish are in demand. Therefore, the most frequently asked question on the Internet today is how to learn Polish.
Ways to study
Any foreign language, including Polish, can be taught in several ways.
Sign up for courses. This is the simplest and effective way. Training takes place in groups, and you have the opportunity to communicate not only with the teacher, but also with other students. The main disadvantages of such training are that not all cities have such courses, and if they do, classes are held on a schedule that may not suit you.
Lesson with a tutor. With this kind of training, the teacher prepares all the tasks for you, he also checks the correctness of their completion and points out errors. One minus - such pleasure is not cheap.
Training via the Internet. A fairly popular method in which you can either sign up for special courses and attend webinars, or find a remote teacher. The cost is significantly lower, but again, if you have a slow Internet or pay for the traffic used, the option is not particularly attractive.
Self-study. Today there are a lot of forums and websites on the Internet dedicated to how to learn Polish at home. The main advantages of this method are low training costs and the ability to independently choose the time for classes and the training strategy. The downside is that lack of motivation and laziness can significantly interfere with learning.
Motivation
The main thing in learning a language, no matter what method of learning, is the presence of motivation. It’s not enough to say: “I want to learn Polish.” You need to find at least one reason why you need it. Otherwise, as soon as the first the impulse will pass and interest in classes will subside, you will immediately give up studying and after a couple of years you won’t even remember basic phrases.
The incentive may be the desire to go abroad for study or permanent residence. By the way, in in this case Poles are quite willing to accommodate people who know Polish culture and traditions. Even if you don’t have relatives among the Poles, you can get a Pole’s card if you know the culture and customs of the country and take an active part in activities aimed at promoting Polish culture. A Pole's card provides a lot of advantages - the possibility of obtaining a visa, the right to legal employment and training, and other little things.
Another good motive could be employment in international companies. Knowledge of not only English, but also Polish will be a huge plus in this situation.
A tourist trip to Poland can also be an excellent reason. Agree, it is much more interesting to travel around the country on your own, choosing your favorite museums and exhibitions. But not all Poles speak a foreign language and may simply not understand your question about how to get to a museum or hotel if it is asked in English.
Perhaps you are interested in learning Polish yourself in order to read interesting book, which has not been translated into Russian, or watch the series. Even such a motive can be an excellent incentive for learning.
Before you start studying, be sure to write down a goal for yourself and, as soon as your desire to study wanes, open your notebook and remember why you started it. Better yet, write your goal on whatman paper in large letters and hang it above your desk. Success guaranteed.
Well, if you really don’t know how to control your laziness, bet with one of your friends that you will learn the language in, say, 6 months. If you are a gambling person, you will probably not give up on your studies and achieve success.
Where to begin?
If you decide to engage in self-study, you must:
- Decide how many times a week you will exercise. It is best if you sit down to read books at least three times a week.
- Pick up educational literature- textbooks, dictionaries, reading materials.
- Find additional funds training - audio, video.
- Install language learning apps on your mobile or tablet.
- Find native speakers on social networks.
How to choose textbooks?
In order to learn the Polish language on your own from scratch, you must first choose the right educational literature. There are many courses and textbooks on the Internet, each of which has its own pros and cons. But e-books- this is not what you need. If you have the means, purchase the textbook in the store, in paper version. This is a guarantee that during the lesson you will not be distracted by checking email or calling on Skype or Viber.
When choosing a textbook, pay attention to several points:
Buying a dictionary
To learn Polish on your own, you need to additionally purchase a dictionary. At least 35,000-40,000 words. For a start, this will be enough. Ideally, the dictionary should contain at least 150,000 words.
When choosing, it is also important to pay attention to the year of manufacture.
A prerequisite is that the dictionary is two-way, that is, Polish-Russian and Russian-Polish. You understand that you will need to translate not only from Polish into Russian, but also in the opposite direction.
additional literature
When talking about how to learn Polish at home, it is worth remembering that textbooks and a dictionary alone will not be enough for you. Additionally, it is advisable to purchase:
- A separate booklet with rules, tables and diagrams for the Polish language. With their help, you can quickly refresh your memory of previously learned rules and quickly learn new ones.
- Fiction. This could be one or two books of your favorite genre. It is advisable that you have not read these works before. Be sure to pay attention to whether the literature is adapted or not; in the second case, it will be much more difficult to read.
Additional learning tools
You can learn Polish on your own not only with the help of books and textbooks, but also with the help of songs and films, TV series, and games. These learning methods are not the main ones; they can be used to improve your language proficiency during your vacation.
Find songs in Polish on the Internet. You can listen to them periodically and try to translate words, individual phrases and sentences. This method is especially valuable if you commute to and from work.
Watching movies and TV series. Of course, you can watch films and TV series exclusively in the language you are learning, but it is better if they are accompanied by subtitles in Russian. This way you can learn many phrases and expressions from everyday life.
Games and applications. Those who don't know how to learn Polish while relaxing may be interested in learning through games and apps. Today, many applications have been developed for language learning using tablets and smartphones. By installing any of the ones you like on mobile device, you can spend your time usefully while playing exciting educational games.
Communication
Most people are interested in the question of how to learn spoken Polish on their own. The answer is simple - communicate as much as possible. Colloquial that's why it's conversational, because it functions in oral speech. The best solution at self-study will be communication with native speakers - residents of Poland.
Find in social network friends with similar interests living abroad. They will not only explain to you the rules for using certain words and expressions, the specifics of syntax, but will also tell you a lot of interesting things about their country and culture.
Learning phonetics
After all the textbooks have been purchased, you need to start studying. Those who are interested in how to learn Polish at home and where to start should remember: you always need to start with the alphabet. You must learn the alphabet - the name of each letter and the pronunciation of sounds. It is important to use special discs on which the sound of each sound is recorded. The issue of phonetics and correct placement of stress should be given Special attention. Incorrect pronunciation is one of the most serious mistakes that are difficult to correct in the future.
Vocabulary
The opinions of foreign language teachers often differ on what should be paid attention to first - grammar or vocabulary. Some people think it's big lexicon more than compensates for ignorance of grammar, others - that an unfamiliar word can always be found in the dictionary, but grammar should be dealt with first.
Be that as it may, vocabulary is important, especially when learning Polish. Those who are wondering how to learn Polish at home have probably heard that some words in Polish, Russian, and Ukrainian have similar sound, but their meaning may differ radically.
To replenish your vocabulary you can:
- Read previously acquired fiction.
- Listen to songs and watch movies.
- Chat with friends online.
- Read and translate news articles from various sites. By reading the media, you not only learn new words, but also remember the correct construction of phrases and sentences.
- Use a dictionary. A rather interesting way to learn vocabulary is to read a dictionary and make flashcards. For example, you flip through the dictionary and find 5-10 words that are unfamiliar to you. Cut out small cards from thick paper. On one side you write a word in Polish, on the second - in Russian. Then you go through the cards, trying to translate the word on the card, and look at the translation for self-test.
By the way, this method - word - translation - is often used in mobile applications.
Grammar
The grammar of the Polish language deserves special attention. Those who want to quickly learn Polish at home should prepare for the fact that they will have to pay a lot of attention to studying the case system of the language, studying endings in words depending on tense and form.
In addition, people learning Polish quite often complain about the special logic of sentence construction and the style of the language.
When studying grammar, you will need a textbook and tables with diagrams. It is advisable to have your own notebook in which you will write down the basic rules and points.
Speaking
Those who want to know how to learn Polish from scratch at home should pay special attention to speaking. the main objective of any training - not only to be able to understand the interlocutor, but also to learn how to convey your thoughts to him. When learning a foreign language special role is devoted precisely to this moment. Remember how in English lessons you were taught to talk about yourself, your family and hobbies, and write letters.
When learning Polish, the same approach is applied. You must learn to talk about yourself, your habits, hobbies, and be able to write letters - personal and business, perhaps a resume.
It is important to be able not only to write, but also to tell it without looking in a notebook or dictionary.
In addition to development monologue speech, it is important to pay attention to dialogue.
To develop speaking, it is necessary to communicate with native speakers as much as possible, preferably through video calls. This way you can not only learn basic constructions, expressions, and pronunciation, but also, importantly, overcome your fear. It is the fear of saying something wrong or wrong that is the main problem when learning a language.
Listening
Another important point, which is worth paying special attention to is auditory speech perception. It's no secret that most language exams consist of tests aimed at checking grammar and vocabulary, writing or speaking and listening.
Songs and films and communication with friends will help you improve your perception skills.
In addition, almost every textbook that comes with a disc contains listening exercises. It is advisable to complete them, then checking the answers and analyzing the mistakes made.
Time
So, how long does it take to learn Polish? The answer to the question depends entirely on you. If you study persistently and systematically, within a couple of months you will be able to understand Polish and speak a new language for you. Even if it’s not ideal, it’s still more than enough for a trip to the country.
If you are lazy and constantly put off studying until later, even a few years will not be enough for you to acquire at least minimal communication skills.
- Learn the language systematically. Don't miss classes if you don't have good reason. And if there is, do the exercises planned for the day as soon as you have a free minute.
- Don't overdo your studies, don't be a fanatic. Exercising every day for five to six hours a day is a good idea, but useless. One lesson should not last more than one and a half hours.
- On rest days, watch movies and listen to music on Polish language.
- Explore the culture and traditions of Poland. This way you will be able to immerse yourself as much as possible in the language you are studying, understand the meaning of some words and idioms that are not translated literally into Russian.
- Learn not only individual words, but also proverbs, sayings, aphorisms. This will make your speech richer and brighter.
We hope we have given a comprehensive answer to the question of how to learn Polish from scratch. Follow our advice, study systematically, and within a few weeks you will notice that you understand individual words and phrases, and after a few months you will be able to speak Polish fluently without any effort. special effort. Good luck to you!
