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Learning Polish

esperanza

Has anyone out there had experiences with learning Polish? I'm humming and hawing about taking classes. I hear the vocabulary is not too difficult, but that the grammar is quite a challenge. How much progress could I make in a year with 2 hrs of lessons each week? I have no prior knowledge.

Also, as an English speaker would Polish pronunciation prove more difficult than say, French pronunciation?

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pogoń

I've been living in Poland for 10 years.

I run a language school in Szczecin www.go4it.home.pl.

To be honest Polish is one of the world's most difficult languages, and unless you are very gifted/hardworking, in my opinion it would be difficult to make substantial progress in one year.

esperanza

pogo&#324 wrote:

I've been living in Poland for 10 years.

I run a language school in Szczecin www.go4it.home.pl.

To be honest Polish is one of the world's most difficult languages, and unless you are very gifted/hardworking, in my opinion it would be difficult to make substantial progress in one year.

Thanks for your answer, in fact i've started classes and find the language very boring and hardgoing. I am hardworking but the language just doesn't have the beauty of Italian to motivate me. Pity though.

Also, the pronunciation is near impossible

parasite

Polish lessons from Cork http://peoplesrepublicofcork.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=426&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0

esperanza

parasite wrote:

Polish lessons from Cork http://peoplesrepublicofcork.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=426&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0

Love the link!!!:)

Victor

Sit down with a Polish speaker and have them read something in Polish.... it is daunting. Realise the alphabet is "different".

Trevko

Hey whats up! Im 22 from Dublin and I learn Polish on my own because nobody else in this damn country seems interested.I learn alone and my Polish is in the beginners stages but I can hold a very simple explanation and my pronunciation is not so bad.
I dont think the language has to be exciting as such and to be honest I found italian much harder and in fact quite boring.. I have some polish friends but we talk english all the time,Id be so happy to meet with some people so we can practice together but no one seems interested unfortunately.I have been to Poland a few times and thats the real challenge when you're faced with it head on.I did my best not to speak english in Poland, and the locals respect you more for making the effort,for real.
I tried the whole www.polishsummer.pl course,well actually I didnt because it was way expensive,would have been worth it though.There is a Polish meetup with other Polish in Dublin but I find it way useless as it seems more like a way for Polish people to make friends depsite it being an english/polish conversation exchange but whatever.Im also learning Slovak and Russian...I like to be challenged.

Polish - I can read the alphabet,read the words except the extremely long ones.I am ok at saying the words and thats a credit to me as they say its one of the most difficult languages...so kudos to me!!!

The study with me offer is still there.hehe.

D-!

Can anyone tell me how to spell happy christmas in polish (i know someone will suggest the translation websites but i have been told by people that there not correct

Szczęśliwe Boże Narodzenie is Happy Christmas in Polish (got in from a dictionary!)

Trinity College does an Arts Degree and a European Studies Degree in Polish. I looked into Polish but I find Russian far more interesting - they have cool alphabet and is more widely spoken! I'm opting to continue through with French to third-level and pick up Russian for scratch. Although, learning Polish would be extremely valuable especially due to the amount of Poles in Ireland and the new addition of Poland to the EU.

Trevko

Russian is a way cool language,,personally I think its very sexy..My Polish is better than my Russian though.

- Так, девочки, если я ещё раз этих пацанов у вас в подъезде увижу, я серьезно говорю: я вас запру на неделю, а ключ себе заберу. Вы что думаете? У вас должны быть другие фанаты! Взрослые и обеспеченные. Что вы там детский сад у себя развели! Нет, я с этим точно покончу. (Громко бросает трубку.)

See ya... P.S. Im dying for Polish/Russian study partners,difficult on my own to study

carricka

Is there anyone out there who knows where to get Polish lessons. I just want basic conversational Polish, to be able to talk to people.

Thanks.

Victor

There is a Polish Cultural Association in the 01 phonebook, you could try there or the Polish Embassy.

Fridge

carricka wrote:

Is there anyone out there who knows where to get Polish lessons. I just want basic conversational Polish, to be able to talk to people.

Thanks.

I got lessons in Dunboyne, St Peter's College (tel 018252552). (It's near Blanchardstown but in Meath) I don't think they've any info online.
It was just a basic 8 week class, and was good. I didn't have the time to study it at all but would've learned all if I had.

I'm planning on doing the polishsummer.pl thing. And maybe doing the extra classes in the evening. Kinda excited.

Yeah the pronunciation is rock hard, still haven't gotten the hang of it.
But I'd say the best way is to get a language set with a cd and all that, because I'm pretty sure most Irish people would have problems with the pronunciation. I'd always forget how everything was pronounced as soon as I got home. I hear there's an international language shop off Nassau Street somewhere.

Another thing to start you off is byki.com, where you can download a sample of their language programme. Just basic stuff but quite helpful when getting used to the sound of the language.

Collumbo

Wasn't aware of the Polish course in Dunboyne!

I did the Pimsleur course [20 CDs]. It's very good at giving you the pronuncation - infact, many Poles will pay compliment to your pronuncation. Basically it is so repetitive that it is hammered into you, that you remember everything you hear. The downside to it is that you can complete the course, but you would have the guts to hold a conversation with someone... that's where Polish flatmates come into play - so I fix their English, they teach me Polish.

If there is any sign of classes happening in Dublin, please post on this board - I'd be well on for it.

Fridge

How much is the Pimsleur course?

Doctor Fell

Does anyone know of any classes in the Dublin city area? I saw an advert today for Eden college or something I think, but can't find the web link!
thx

Collumbo

Fridge wrote:

How much is the Pimsleur course?

I think I paid $180 for it... www.cheappimsleur.com

Again - they are good in that what you listen to you remember. It's poor in that you don't have the guts to start inventing words by the time you're finished with it...

JBoyle4eva

OK, In school there is a Polish guy and we were in computers and I looked up Polish Articles on wikipedia, and I asked him to read them. It sound very different to the way it looks.

I'd like to learn Polish myself, but I'd say it's hard.

Collumbo

JBoyle4eva - true that it is tricky enough. If you are in Dublin, there is a beginners' course starting in mid February in Eden School of English on Thursday evenings. I reckon it's just a case of practice practice practice...
one or two new words a day with your Polish mate.

Also - a very nice little book is "Polish - The Rough Guide" ISBN 1-85828-752-9

It's a small little book to get you started... but a native would need to teach you the pronuncation first.

Go for it... they're knocked out for the count when you start coming out with a few words because they reckon no one has any interested in learning it ;-)

Magic Monkey

You can borrow the Pimsleur Polish course from your local library. Doing it along with reading a grammer book should help with pronunciation.

urke

Czesc Esperanza,means "hi " just want to say Hello, as I can see You are ON wright now.Pozdrawiam ciepło, if U would like any help in learning polish just let me know.See You.

urke

Hi guys, I'm really surprized hearing that someone here is interested in learning polish;-) I wanted to get know something more about Irish people (as I'm Polish)and practise my english,so I looked up here.You shouldn't have any problems with learning polish I gues, there's a lot of "us" up there in Ireland;-) Just go to most popular tourist pub in Dublin, they will be waiting there for You, thats's for sure! Being serious, I heard from foreigners that polish is difficult and i think it really is. If I can suggest something, You shouldn't start learning it from books but try to get know with polish people and talk with them.It is really easy to pronounce polish words, don't try to write it at the very beginning. Some American man ,who learns me english, came to Poland six months ago and now he understand polish pretty good. Don't care about gramma. Even Polish people still have difficulties with it. Watch a lot of polish TV,Listen to the polish radio. That's the best way to Learn!
Good Luck Irish!!!
Slainte!
URKE

Kamilla

hello people! the world is so small... as it happens, im polish livin in ireland 4 the past 2 years and 8 months.(hahahah wat a precise piece of information:D). well, i personally think that polish IS one of the hardest languages 2 take up. mainly cos of the compostion of the language. but sure, its bout challegin urself!!

carricka

This might be a tactless question, but does anyone know if most Polish people learn Russian and, therefore, understand it? Would the same be true, perhaps, for people of other so-called Ascession States - do Latvians, Lithuanians, Estonians, etc. know and understand Russian? Just thought it might be an easier option to learn basic Russian rather than Polish, but wouldn't want to insult anyone by trying to speak with them in Russian...

bk86a

I have good experience learning Polish - 8 years in primary school, 4 years in secondary school. Need more? I can teach you some if you want.

bk86a

Victor

carricka wrote:

This might be a tactless question, but does anyone know if most Polish people learn Russian and, therefore, understand it? Would the same be true, perhaps, for people of other so-called Ascession States - do Latvians, Lithuanians, Estonians, etc. know and understand Russian? Just thought it might be an easier option to learn basic Russian rather than Polish, but wouldn't want to insult anyone by trying to speak with them in Russian...

Calling a Pole a Russian is like calling an Irish person English - a fairly strong insult.

Many Poles do know or speak some Russian, but since 1990 English has been the second language in schools. This is part of the reason tha the profile of Polish people in Ireland is so young (aside from the usual demographic of migrant workers) - many of the older ones don't speak enough English.

Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia do have Russian minorities, some badly discriminated against.

dras

Lads,

I am learning in Galway at moment. Not easy, but wouldn't be fun if it was too easy...

Check out www.byki.com for free download and see what you think yourself about the difficulty of Polish. As for one of the most difficult languages in the world...I think not, its not even the most difficult European language ( in terms of conversational level).

Czesc!

JBoyle4eva

Czesc,

I've found a self-teach book called "Teach Yourself: Polish" and I have to say it's extremely useful.. It's a 300 and something paperback with a 70 minute CD, and you basically role-play through the book as both James(He's a tourist in Poland) and Sally(She's visiting her friend in Poland) and you basically learn how to handle situations, starting from basic greetings at the airport leading to more complicated things like going to the shop, going around Poland etc.. I'm only on the third chapter out of nineteen, but I'm already impressing the Polish guys at my school.

Do widzenia!

jeneri

Hi,

Seems to me there is a gap for Polish classes, not just to get to know language skills, but also to get to know the country, its history and culture too.

I've got a new job and I'm now working with Polish companies, and will be travelling to Poland several times during the year for that reason. While the Polish language is very difficult, (although An Ghaeilge comes to mind, and many of us managed to pass ourselves off in that:D), I would love to learn some conversational Polish, useful icebreakers, great for getting to know people, whether business or personal.

In fact, I'm interested in getting intensive one-to-one grinds from a native Polish speaker, with teacher training, and excellent English. If anyone on the list fits this profile or knows someone who does, please get in touch..

niall

vovo1#

how incredibly you expectations sounds 2 me.
let me know if u manage 2 find an experienced polish language teacher with fluent english.

Tessa

Hello,

I am in Szczecin Poland and I am trying to find Polish lessons. Does anyone know anything about this?

Tessa