Polish Language Facts

Learning a language like Polish can provide an individual with numerous benefits. It can increase the chances of being able to communicate effectively when visiting the country, or when they need to speak with someone when conducting international business.

The language is not one of the world’s most spoken, however, the country has started to emerge as an important player across many industries. For example, the tech sector has continually experienced growth within the country, with many Polish residents having the technical knowledge and skills to make a difference that others globally do not have.

As with all languages, though, there are a number of interesting facts that can help to provide those who are interested in learning it more engaging and potentially more appealing. These facts can provide a number of lessons themselves, with many often providing some history behind the dialect, while others provide beneficial information that may not always have been known before starting. Let’s take a look at 15 fun facts about the Polish language.

Polish is a hard language to learn.

Before getting started, it is important to understand and acknowledge that Polish is a hard language to learn. Pronunciation is not as simple as it is in other languages, and it can feature a complex system in terms of masculine and feminine words. Of course, this does not make it impossible to learn, with those who learn Polish with Preply having been able to successfully grasp some of the basic and more advanced nuances of the dialect through the use of native tutors and personalized lessons.

Speaking Polish is considered a superpower.

While it is always worth patting yourself on the back when learning a language, successfully mastering Polish is considered to be a superpower because of how difficult it is!

It is spoken globally.

Given the world is multicultural and as diverse as it has ever been, it should not come as a surprise to learn that Polish is spoken widely. Around 50 million people are thought to speak the language.

10,000+ people are currently learning Polish.

According to estimates, it is believed that around 10,000+ people are currently learning the language. Most are being taught in schools or in universities, while others have taken it up in their own time through online courses and other resources. This goes to show how important the language is becoming and why it is growing in usage.

Polish people translate everything into Polish.

While there are some languages that borrow the word from English if they do not have a specific word for it, Polish people will create one that fits their language. This can make learning the dialect even more important when trying to communicate with someone successfully.

Youngsters will change how a word is used.

Much like in many other languages around the world, the youth of today will find new ways in which a word can mean something. Slang is typically commonly used and this is something that is prevalent in Polish. The same word can have very different meanings when used, and there can be many meanings, making it that much harder to learn!

There are numerous digraphs in the Polish language.

A digraph is a word that contains a double consonant or a vowel and consonant paired together to create a single sound. Polish features many of these, with cz, ch, sz, rz, dz, dż i dź often found in the words that exist.

An extra nine letters are in the Polish alphabet.

Polish contains an additional nine letters compared to the English alphabet, with ą, ć, ę, ł, ń ó, ś, ż, ż, all being widely used.

Polish actually excludes certain English letters.

If you take a look at the alphabet of this language, you may notice that there are 32 letters in total. While there are an extra nine in comparison to English, there are some that do not even appear in Polish. The letters Q, V, and X do not exist when looking at Polish words, although they can be used when an international word has been formed.

Polish is actually similar to other languages.

While Polish might be a difficult language to master, those who do may find that they are able to understand other languages. Naturally, most of these are Slavic, although Russian languages can also be understood.

Russian is possible to understand but not be spoken.

Those who have knowledge of the Second World War will know about Poland’s history and the role it played. Russia invaded the country, thus leading to a number of Russians being in the area. Older generations of Poles are able to understand this language, but they are not able to speak it.

Polish dates back to 1270.

According to findings, the first complete Polish sentence dates back to 1270, when it was used in the Book of Henrykow.

Poland’s longest word is 54 letters long.

If you thought “Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis” was long at 45 letters in the English language, then brace yourself for the longest word in the Polish language. It stands at 54 characters and reads: “Dziewięćsetdziewięćdziesięciodziewięcionarodowościowego”. For those who are wondering what it means, it translates as being “of nine-hundred and ninety-nine nationalities”.

There are several dialects.

If learning Polish was not hard enough, the fact that there are several other dialects that can be experienced and heard certainly does take the difficulty up a notch. Admittedly, this is similar to many other European languages and there are fewer, but it can be impossible for a non-native speaker to try and determine what part of the country a native might be from.

Certain words should always be avoided.

There are words in the Polish language that should be avoided and never used. There are words that can sound like something that also end up meaning something completely different, too. Just be careful with what you say, as you will not want to offend anyone you are communicating with, even if a slip of the tongue results in a hilarious moment.

Final Thoughts

Polish is clearly a hard language and requires a lot of effort. However, do not let that you stop from trying to learn and understand it! It is a dialect that is growing in use around the world, and could potentially provide an individual with numerous benefits!

Our commitment to delivering trustworthy and engaging content is at the heart of what we do. Each fact on our site is contributed by real users like you, bringing a wealth of diverse insights and information. To ensure the highest standards of accuracy and reliability, our dedicated editors meticulously review each submission. This process guarantees that the facts we share are not only fascinating but also credible. Trust in our commitment to quality and authenticity as you explore and learn with us.