When it comes to learning Polish, there are two categories of students: those who think it's easy, ‘like Ukrainian, only a little different’, and those who think that learning this language is the most difficult task in their lives. The truth, as always, lies somewhere in the middle. Let's try to figure it out together.
What are the peculiarities of learning Polish?
The good news is that, since Polish belongs to the Slavic group, it will be much easier for native speakers of these languages (including Ukrainians) to master it than, say, those who have spoken English, German, French or Italian since childhood. The similarity of the lexical composition of Polish and Ukrainian is more than half, which makes the learning process much easier. In addition, the languages have been influencing each other for many centuries, which is most noticeable in borrowings: the transfer and adaptation of words from Polish to Ukrainian and vice versa. So, the learning process will not be as difficult as when you learn, for example, Arabic or Chinese.
What do they have in common?
Since the vocabulary is similar, learning new Polish words will not be a big deal. Let's start with numerals, which always evoke mixed emotions when learning a foreign language. ‘One’ is jeden, “two” is dwa, “three” is trzy, and “four” is cztery. Doesn't the similarity strike you? And that's just the beginning!
What about the words of politeness we use every day? The phrase ‘Good afternoon’ in Polish sounds like ‘Dobry dzień’, ‘thank you’ - ‘dziękuję’, ‘please’ - ‘proszę’, ‘excuse me’ - ‘przepraszam’.
Let's talk about food, and here we are lucky again. Bread is chleb, meat is mięso, and cheese is ser. Easy enough to remember, isn't it? There are hundreds of similar words, most of which you probably already know, so you just need to focus on pronunciation.
As for grammar, there is a lot in common here too. In particular, the free order of words in a sentence makes it much easier to learn, because you don't need to keep tables and formulas in mind, as you do in English. Nouns in Polish also agree in terms of gender, number and case, but you understand this principle thanks to your native language, so you won't have any problems. There are no articles in Polish, and you can safely omit personal pronouns, just like you do in Ukrainian. These common features make learning easy, fast and fun.
Where are the differences hidden?
Despite what we have in common, our languages are not as identical as they seem at first glance. So, where exactly are the differences hidden, and what challenges do they pose for Ukrainians in the process of learning Polish?
The first major obstacle is the form of writing. Yes, this is the case when learning Polish can be a real brain exercise. Ukrainians use the Cyrillic alphabet, while Poles use the Latin alphabet. This can create some difficulties in the process of mastering writing and reading skills.
Another difference is the accent. In Polish words, the accent almost always falls on the penultimate syllable, which makes the pronunciation different from Ukrainian, where the accent is not fixed. The nasal diphthongs - ę, ą - can also cause considerable problems. Pronouncing them is not easy, but with constant practice and perseverance, you will succeed.
And now, attention, real traps! Some words sound the same but have different meanings. Careful and diligent study of Polish will help you avoid this lexical confusion. For example, the Polish word ‘kit’ is consonant with the Ukrainian word ‘cat’, but is translated as ‘putty’. The situation is similar with ‘dywan’, which means ‘carpet’, not ‘sofa’, as you might mistakenly think. And such a familiar word as ‘cup’ means ‘skull’ in Polish (czaszka). Be careful and pay attention to such little things when learning a foreign language.
Have fun learning!
So, learning Polish has some challenges, but don't let that scare you! Every difference is a new chance to expand your linguistic horizons. By the way, at the UP democratic school for teenagers, classes are taught in Ukrainian, Polish and English. You can count on the support of native speakers of these three languages at every stage of your studies. Take advantage of the opportunity to master several foreign languages at once, as well as receive a quality education that goes far beyond the standard school curriculum!
