How to Learn Polish: 6 Effective Ways to Learn Polish Quickly
Kelsey Wetherbee
Last updated on May 22, 2023
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Polish isn’t the easiest language to learn, but if you have family, friends, business clients, etc. that speak the language, learning Polish can vastly improve your relationships. To make learning easier, it’s helpful to use a high-quality study tool. This article compiles some of the best options available for learning Polish.
Polish is a Slavic language with over 38 million native speakers, making it one of the most spoken languages in Europe. It’s only an official language in Poland but is commonly spoken in other countries such as Ukraine, the United States, Belarus, and Lithuania, amongst others. Polish is most closely related to other Slavic languages like Belorussian, Serbian, Russian, and Ukrainian.
How Long Will It Take You To Learn Polish?
Table of Contents
How to Learn Polish: Follow These Steps to Become Fluent Fast!
The best way to learn Polish fast and effectively is to use a variety of tools. One resource can’t cover every skill necessary to learn a language so using different methods will help to fill in any gaps. For example, you could use a book to study grammar and sentence structure, but taking a class with an online tutor will boost your speaking abilities. So without further ado, let’s look at 6 of the best ways that you can learn Polish.
Use the Best Polish Apps
Using a language app is one of the most convenient ways to learn Polish. You can use an app wherever you go. The lessons are easy to complete and can be done quickly. Many apps make the experience fun by including features like points, games, leaderboards, and more. Pimsleur, Babbel, and Mondly are three of the most popular language apps available and have well-developed Polish courses.
Commitment: Low
Price: Low-Medium
Convenience: High
Pimsleur
Pimsleur is the best overall app for learning Polish because it gets you speaking quickly. The lessons focus on conversation and help you learn how to navigate everyday situations. All the lessons are audio-based so you can study anywhere. You can try Pimsleur for free for 7 days or read more about it in this Pimsleur review.
Babbel
Babbel has a well-rounded approach and teaches all parts of the Polish language: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. The course follows a logical structure so you build on what you previously learned. Linguists create each Babbel course separately, so the Polish course is unique and not a copy-and-paste of another language’s course. Babbel lets you try 1 lesson for free. If you’d like to learn more about the app, you can read this Babbel review.
Mondly
Mondly is an excellent choice for beginners because it teaches basic grammar and vocabulary with quick and interactive lessons. The explanations are straightforward and easy to understand. There are also features that track your progress and let you see how quickly you are learning. Mondly offers a 7-day free trial so you can test it out. You can also read this Mondly review to learn more information about the app.
Take an Online Polish Course
If you prefer learning with a step-by-step plan, taking an online Polish course is a good option. Courses follow a set curriculum, which takes the guesswork out of what to study next. Most courses include online lessons with additional individual practice activities to reinforce what you learned. Learn Polish From 0 To Hero, Smart Vision School, and Po Polsku Po Polsce are popular online courses that are available for all levels of Polish language learners.
Commitment: High
Price: Medium-High
Convenience: Medium
Learn Polish From 0 To Hero
Learn Polish From 0 To Hero is a popular course on the Udemy platform. The goal is to get you communicating in Polish by focusing on vocabulary, common grammar topics, and speaking in everyday situations. The course contains 166 lectures as well as quizzes and downloadable pdfs that help you study the material on your own. This course has a 4.7/5 star rating with over 3,700 students. You can learn more about it here, or read this overall review of the Udemy platform for more information.
Smart Vision School
Smart Vision School has online group classes with 4-8 students. You learn with a qualified Polish teacher, and since the classes are live, you receive immediate feedback and can have interactions with the other students. There are a variety of courses available, including weekend-only classes, classes for children, and individual lessons. To learn more about the courses available or get in contact with a teacher, take a look at the Smart Vision School website.
Po Polsku Po Polsce
Po Polsku Po Polsce is an entirely free course that covers the basics of Polish (A1 on the CEFR scale). It’s a collaborative effort between the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Jagiellonian University. The goal is to promote learning Polish language and culture. The course contains 16 detailed lessons with interactive practice exercises. It follows a journey around Poland so you’re also learning about the country and culture along with the language. You can check out the course here.
Find an Online Polish Tutor
Taking online classes with a Polish tutor brings all the benefits of an in-person class to the comfort of your home. Instead of wasting time commuiting to a class, you can log in to your computer from anywhere. Taking classes with a Polish tutor is the most effective way to improve speaking and comprehension skills, and will help take your Polish to the next level. Italki, Preply, and E-polish are three reputable platforms that have qualified teachers.
Commitment: Medium
Price: Medium-High
Convenience: Medium
italki
Italki is a platform that lets you take online classes with a native Polish tutor. Currently, there are about 100 tutors available for classes. You can search their profiles to see their bio, price, and availability. Since teachers set their own price, there’s a wide range and you’re sure to find one that fits your budget. Most teachers on italki offer a discounted trial class so you can see if they’re a good fit for you. You can also read more about the platform in this italki review.
Preply
Preply is similar to italki. You can browse teacher profiles to find a good fit and then take online classes with them. Teachers prepare their own lessons so you have the flexibility to focus on what you want to learn. In their profiles, you can search their specialties, price, and past student reviews. Preply offers a Happiness Guarantee, so if you aren’t satisfied with your first free trial class, you can take class with another teacher until you find one that’s right for you. To learn more about the platform, you can read this Preply review.
E-polish
E-polish is specifically for Polish language learners and teachers. It’s a language school located in Krakow, Poland, but they offer the option to take online courses or 1-on-1 lessons with a qualified teacher. You have the ability to choose who to take class with and the teacher creates a curriculum based on what you want to learn. Some teachers offer a free class to see if they’re a good fit, or you can learn more about the school on the E-polish website.
Study with High-Quality Polish Books
Books are a classic way to study the Polish language. They include detailed descriptions of grammar topics and practice exercises to check your understanding. Now, books have been modernized and have e-reader versions, as well as CDs or online access to audio material. Polish For Dummies, POLSKI Krok Po Kroku, and Polish Tutor are some of the favorite books for Polish learners and have excellent reviews on Amazon.
Commitment: Low
Price: Medium
Convenience: Medium
Polish For Dummies
Polish For Dummies is an excellent overview for beginners of the Polish language. It includes a little bit of everything, including greetings, pronunciation, vocabulary, and facts about Polish culture. It also comes with a CD (or downloadable audio) so you can hear conversations in Polish. People who reviewed the book liked that it included necessary words and phrases, and thought it was a great book for travelers. You can read more reviews here.
POLSKI Krok Po Kroku
POLSKI Krok Po Kroku is an immersive way to learn because there are very few translations. Therefore, it’s a better choice if you have some experience with the language or are learning with a tutor. According to reviews, the best feature of the book is the access to the online version. You can hear dialogues, click on words to see translations, and check the answers to the practice questions. Click here to learn more about the book.
Polish Tutor
Polish Tutor is a vocabulary and grammar workbook that has 20 learning units. Each unit has language explanations, tutor hints, and extensive practice exercises. This book is recommended for A2-B2 (high beginner-intermediate) learners. People who used the book thought it was excellent for learners that already had some experience in the language and are looking for a challenge. See what other readers thought about the book here.
Watch Polish YouTube Videos
Watching YouTube videos is an unconventional way to learn Polish, but it can also be one of the most fun! Some YouTube channels teach traditional topics, like grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation, while other channels focus on cultural topics and how Polish is spoken on the street. The three YouTube channels listed below all have thousands of subscribers and tons of free videos so you can hear how to really speak Polish.
Commitment: Low
Price: Low
Convenience: High
Learn Polish With Monika
Monika is a popular YouTuber who makes videos that teach Polish pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary. Her videos are generally short and include useful topics like how to say your phone number and 100 common phrases in Polish. She has 85 videos for you to learn from and posts a new video every week or two. You can check out her YouTube channel here.
Easy Polish
Easy Polish is part of the Easy Languages project that takes language learning to the streets. They interview people from Poland on common language and cultural topics. It’s an excellent way to hear how Polish is really spoken and learn some new slang words. Easy Polish has 124 videos and uploads new videos twice a month. You can see their videos on the Easy Polish YouTube channel.
Its Ewelina
The It’s Ewelina YouTube channel is a bit of a mix-bag. She has videos in Polish and in English. Her videos in Polish focus on teaching the language, but her English videos cover a wide range of topics. Her Polish videos are useful and interesting, and I recommend watching her Learn Polish Language playlist to hear how the language is spoken and learn useful words and phrases. There are over 360 videos available, and she’s continually uploading new videos. You can check out the Its Ewelina channel here.
Listen to Polish Podcasts
Podcasts are another great way to hear how Polish is spoken. They are also easy to listen to while you are on the go or completing other tasks. Some include additional learning material like transcripts and practice activities. PolishPod101, Real Polish, and Learn Polish Podcast have hundreds of episodes that will help you master listening and pronunciation.
Commitment: Low
Price: Low
Convenience: High
PolishPod101
PolishPod101 is an app and online platform that features hundreds of podcast-style lessons. Each lesson includes a transcript, lesson notes, and practice activities. It’s a good choice for all levels because it has content for beginners through advanced learners. Beginner lessons teach the basics of the language and intermediate and advanced lessons move toward Polish culture and total immersion in the language. You can try PolishPod101 for free for 7 days to see if it’s a good choice for you.
Real Polish
Piotr is from Warsaw, Poland, and started the Real Polish podcast to help people learn how Polish is actually spoken. He has different series of episodes, such as Polish stories, idioms, and news from Poland. His podcast is best for intermediate to advanced learners because his episodes are completely in Polish. All the episodes are available for free. You can also join the VIP Club to get access to the transcripts and additional material.
Learn Polish Podcast
Learn Polish Podcast is a completely free resource designed to help Polish language learners by exposing them to the language. The podcast host speaks entirely in Polish, but each episode includes a transcript so you can follow along. The episodes are short and cover a wide variety of topics like Halloween, how to learn a language, and her personal opinions on divisive topics. You can listen to all the episodes for free on your favorite podcast player like Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
How to Learn Polish: Final Thoughts
Hopefully this guide has given you inspiration and ideas on how you can start/continue your Polish language learning journey. Whatever method you prefer to study with, dedication and practice are key to seeing improvement. Continual practice every day is preferable to random study sessions when you have the time. If you set aside time in your busy schedule to study, and stick with it, you’ll see continual progress in your learning.
Want to learn more? Check out our Polish resource page.
How to Learn Polish: FAQ
According to the US Department of State, it takes 1,100 class hours to learn Polish. This number is only an estimate and depends on other factors such as your natural capability to attain languages and if you speak a similar language.
To see how long it will take you to learn Polish, check out this Fluency Calculator.
The best way to learn Polish quickly is to use a variety of learning methods and immerse yourself in the language as much as possible. For example, you can use a language app or take online classes to learn the basics of Polish. But it’s also useful to find authentic material in Polish, such as shows, newspapers, or online forums to be exposed to how Polish is spoken in a natural context.
There are many ways to learn Polish at home, such as using a language app or taking online classes with a Polish tutor. To find an effective way for you to study, you should consider how you prefer learning. For example, a textbook includes detailed explanations, but a language app is more interactive. It’s best to use a variety of resources to practice all skills and improve in all language skills.
Polish is considered a difficult language for English speakers to learn because the two languages have significant differences. Polish is a Slavic language that has different letters than English, which uses the Latin alphabet. There are also significant differences in grammar, such as the use of gender in nouns, pronouns, and adjectives. But it’s not impossible to learn Polish! With the help of some effective learning tools, you can reach a conversational level of Polish quickly.
To learn Polish, there are many ways to get to a basic level, such as using a language app or taking an online course. But if you want to become fluent in Polish, eventually you’ll need to practice with someone who speaks the language fluently. You can take a class at a local language academy, take classes with an online tutor, or even find a language exchange partner with an app like Tandem or HelloTalk. Speaking and conversation are often the most difficult language skills to improve, but are necessary if you want to reach a fluent level of Polish.
The number of free resources to learn Polish is constantly growing. You can use an app, such as Duolingo, which offers it’s entire Polish course for free. Other apps, such as PolishPod101 and Memrise have free content available. If you’re a beginner, the Po Polsku Po Polsce course is available for free thanks to a collaboration with the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Jagiellonian University.
