Why Learn Polish?
Polish is one of the most widely spoken languages in Europe, with over 40 million speakers. By learning Polish, you open the door to understanding a rich cultural heritage, including literature, music, and art. Poland has a vibrant history and a unique blend of traditions, and speaking the language allows you to connect more deeply with its people and their stories. Whether you’re interested in exploring Polish cuisine, attending cultural festivals, or simply engaging in conversations with native speakers, knowing the language enhances your experiences.
Learning Polish can be particularly advantageous in today’s globalized world. As Poland continues to grow economically and politically within the European Union, proficiency in Polish can be a valuable asset in various professional fields, including business, diplomacy, and tourism. Many international companies are establishing a presence in Poland, creating job opportunities for those who can communicate effectively in Polish. The language's complex grammar and pronunciation may challenge learners, but overcoming these hurdles can boost cognitive skills and enhance overall language learning abilities. Whether for personal growth, travel, or career advancement, learning Polish can be a fulfilling pursuit.
Ready to get started? You can try a free lesson on Babbel right away. If you’re still feeling a bit unsure on the best way to start your Polish journey, however, we have more insights than can help you along the way.
How to get started learning Polish online
The internet has been an incredible development for language learning. You don’t have to hope that there are Polish teachers near you: you can get connected with teachers and learners from all around the world. The problem, then, is where to get started. With countless resources ahead of you, you’ll need to narrow down your options.
The first step is to think about what keeps you engaged and motivated while learning. Use your interests to guide you to find movies, podcasts, articles, and more that will provide you with the material to learn Polish. You might also think about what has helped you learn a new skill in the past: are you an auditory learner or are you more focussed on the visual?
With that said, it will be useful to have some sort of guide to teach you the basics of the Polish language, and that’s where Babbel comes in. Babbel prioritizes the information that will get you speaking Polish as quickly as possible, including the most important Polish phrases for introducing yourself, talking about family and friends, saying where you’re from and, especially useful, asking someone to Proszę to powtórzyć (“Please repeat that”). Incorporating both video and audio exercises is a strategy used by Babbel to help you read, write, and pronounce Polish words.
The Most Common Questions Before Taking A Polish Course
Is Polish Hard to Learn? For English speakers, Polish is relatively difficult to learn. The U.S. Foreign Service Institute ranks it as a Category 3 language, meaning it takes about 1100 class hours to master the language (compare that to a Category 1 language like Norwegian or Italian, which takes 600 class hours). Don’t let that discourage you, though! Yes, it’s a very different language from English, descending from the Slavic language family, but the challenge is well worth pursuing.
How Do You Learn Polish Words? Perhaps the biggest challenge for a new Polish learner is dealing with the nouns. Unlike English, where nouns stay the same no matter where they are in a sentence, Polish has seven different cases that affect how the word is conjugated. One tip to help you with this is that it is good to learn vocabulary words in context, so you can see exactly how the word is pronounced depending on where it appears in the sentence. Making flash cards with full sentences, instead of just isolated words, will help you build up your vocab knowledge faster.
What you’ll get from Babbel’s Polish lessons
If you want to see first-hand how Babbel will teach you Polish quickly and efficiently, you can try a free lesson now. Here are just a few of the features you’ll see that are meant to get you speaking right away.
Practice every day. Babbel’s lessons are short, and that’s on purpose. Even if you’ve got a busy schedule, you can fit a lesson in during your morning commute or before bed. Learning every single day is the key to making progress, and having a flexible option is the best way to keep your learning habit (and your Babbel Streak) going.
Speak with confidence. Babbel’s AI-powered speech recognition is embedded from the very beginning, meaning you’ll be practicing your Polish pronunciation from your first lesson.
Get grammar tips. Polish grammar works quite a bit differently from English grammar, and it might be a bit intimidating at first. That’s why Babbel breaks down every new concept, explaining how the language works and then giving you practice examples. We can’t promise you’ll learn all the noun cases overnight, but it will make learning the language much easier.
Learn about the culture. The Polish language isn’t just a list of vocab and series of rules. It’s intertwined with the history and culture of Polish-speaking people, which is why Babbel includes cultural insights throughout your lessons, as well as a course that covers the holidays and traditions of Poland.
Review what you’ve learned. Every word and phrase you learn on the app is added to Babbel’s Review feature. This then uses the concept of spaced repetition to bring this vocabulary back, moving them from your short-term to long-term memory.
Learn Polish with the Babbel app
Learning Polish with Babbel is a great choice for anyone looking to immerse themselves in this vibrant language and culture. Babbel’s structured, interactive approach makes mastering Polish accessible and enjoyable, whether you're drawn to Poland's rich history, its delicious cuisine (we haven’t even mentioned pierogi yet), or its growing economic opportunities within the European Union. With engaging lessons that focus on real-life conversations and cultural insights, you'll not only gain language skills but also a deeper appreciation for Polish traditions and customs.
Babbel's flexible learning format allows you to progress at your own pace, making it easier to fit language learning into your busy lifestyle. What are you waiting for?
Test the first lesson of every course for free