Looking for the best way to learn Polish?
Sunday, May 30th, 2010 at
6:43 am
So I've moved into a new place and my new roommate only speaks Polish. It's very uncomfortable not being able to converse with her and it's a bit of a hindrance when we need to talk about things about the apartment. Therefore, I'm looking to learn to speak Polish. I would like to become fluent. I'm just wondering if anyone had any suggestions on the best and easiest way to do this. Thanks.
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Tagged with: apartment • hindrance • new roommate
Filed under: Polish Language
This is a great opportunity to learn Polish (to live with Polish person) !!!
Speak to her english and listen polish words. I’m sure that 1 month together is better than 1 year with books and teachers.
Good luck!
Rosetta Stone – It really does work, amazingly well!!
Amazing program.
I thing soo much.
Personaly I think the best way to learn Polish is to Polonize yourself. This is not my concept.
This is Prof. Naoya Fujita’s thought (If you want to learn different language you need to learn about different culture. So if you want to learn Japanese you need to Japanize yourself) Best way you can to it is by listen polish music and reading polish books (not in polish) You firstly must know something about culture. Secondly you can learn meanings of polish words from a translation. For example: Polish lyrics or if you buy two books, one in Polish, second in English you can compare words. (Search books translated by Poles)
Grammatics – We only have 3 times (Past, Present and Future). But problems are an endings. This how we distinguish different forms. Example:
Verb: make Czasownik: Robić (ROBITCH)
She made (Ona) Zrobiła (ZROBIWA)
He made (On) Zrobił (Same but without -A)
In Polish you can skip masculine or femine form because of endings (they informs you abaut the usage). Also startings (Letter -Z informs you about the usage of Past time)Does it not seems economical?
Second problem for many foreigners is Articulation. You must start from basics. Without it you always will have problems with reading. The Golden Rule of Polish language says: We reads like it is written, so you need to Know Polish alphabet. It may be difficult especialy because some sounds dont’t exist in English or any other language. Polish is the the only West Slavic Language that has letter – Ł (big- ł). From all Slavic languages only Eastern Slavic languages (Like Russian) has it. Polish language is also more hard from any other Slavic language. Also we don’t have any "mute" letters or special rules helpfull in reading. Polish letters sounds short. Example: Polish – i sounds like english -i in word: islam.
Also which is very funny for many foreigners is the way that we writes english according to polish language rules. Ex: I am; is Polish: Aj em (Polish: (Ja) Jestem). If we change position of letters in first word and add letter -j to second we have: Ja jem (English: Ya Yem) which means: I’m eating…
Maybe better solution is to learn Russian.( If your roommate knows Russian)
You will also have good point at your CV, or maybe Polish isn’t bad idea. We are still developing country but in a future Polish could be very atractive.
Here’s some cultural references (music, movies, books)
Old good Polish rock (universal code for all Poles – Songs about Polish reality). Modern music is dominated by stupid Pop (American influence)
Bands like: Maanam, T.Love, Lady Pank, Kazik Staszewski and his band – Kult, Myslovitz, Blenders, Hey and Nosowska, Rezerwat, Buzu Squat, Republika, Atmosphere, Chłopcy z Placu broni, Elektryczne gitary
Also some Pop artist from 90’s like: Kayah, Edyta Bartosiewicz, Justyna Steczkowska, Anita Lipnicka
http://youtube.com/watch?v=eo8p3Nfe_xE – (Maanam 80’s soft rock/new wave)
youth generation anthem Post-punk/new wave)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=dfhFGA_7ZWs (T.Love – alternative rock)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Zw2COh80uYI&a=cF_ieATKrzM&playnext_from=ML – (T.Love)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=oEFbD7NOl_g&feature=related – (T.Love)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=u8MahzL8Z2I – (T.Love)
(Myslovitz)
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http://youtube.com/watch?v=bhaJGRLcQ4s&feature=related
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http://youtube.com/watch?v=umxZIDaCeu8 – (Kult, This song is well known to everybody in Poland, this is our second National Anthem)
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Kult, KNŻ (Kazik na żywo), El Dupa, Buldog, all this projects includes always one member.
Vocalist, songwriter and saxophonist – Kazik Staszewski. This figure is well known in Poland, because of his meaningful lyrics, which often criticise government and telling truth about our social and economic reality.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=KpBNqEM57mM – (one of most significant songs in polish history, very provocative. History spoken as a deposition to High court, by a men whose son is accused of drug dealing)
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(Hey; alternative rock/alternative metal/ hard rock/ blues)(Another great sonwritter – Katarzyna ‘Kasia" Nosowska)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=1Q3N1oAGIu4&feature=related (sad song about destruction of family)
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Pop rock music
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoyPSwSy_F0&feature=related – (Atmosphere; soft rock band often compared to Guns’N Roses and U2)
BOOKS
Henryk Sienkiewicz "Trylogia" (Trylogy); Quo Vadis (Nobel Prize