A1 · Alphabet and pronunciation · about 6 minutes
Stress on the second-to-last syllable
where the stress falls
Almost every word is stressed on the second-to-last syllable — and the stress moves when the word grows.
Do you know this already?
“New to me”: the explanation first, then practice. “Test myself”: 3 short questions – get at least two right and you go straight to the harder exercises.
Words you will need10
They appear in this topic’s examples and exercises and are new at this point on the learning path.
- jechaćto go (by vehicle), to drive, to ride
- muzykamusic
- mamamum
- gorącyhot
- kolegacolleague, friend, mate
- studentstudent
- gramatykagrammar
- trudnydifficult, hard
- telewizortelevision (set)
- pokójroom; peace
Understand
RememberThe stress falls on the second-to-last syllable and moves when the word grows.
- Signal words
- -yka
- -ika
The form
How it is written and said
Each row gives the rule first, then examples in Polish that show it.
| two syllables: the first | Polska, mama, kawa |
| three syllables: the middle one | Warszawa, herbata, kolega |
| an ending is added: the stress moves | student — studenta, Kraków — w Krakowie |
| i before a vowel: no syllable of its own | Kasia, kuchnia |
| exception: words in -yka and -ika | muzyka, gramatyka, fizyka |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is about
The second-to-last syllable is stressed.
Mieszkam w Warszawie.I live in Warsaw.
When a syllable is added, the stress moves with it.
Jadę do Krakowa.I am going to Kraków.
An i before a vowel does not make a syllable.
To jest Kasia.This is Kasia.
Words in -yka and -ika are often stressed on the third syllable from the end.
Lubię muzykę.I like music.
Unstressed vowels are not reduced: every vowel keeps its sound.
Moja mama pije kawę.My mum drinks coffee.
Example sentences
Herbata jest gorąca.The tea is hot.
Mój kolega jest studentem.My colleague is a student.
Mieszkamy w Polsce.We live in Poland.
6 more example sentences
Gramatyka jest trudna.The grammar is hard.
Telewizor jest w pokoju.The television is in the room.
Dziewczyna czyta gazetę.The girl is reading the paper.
Uniwersytet jest w centrum.The university is in the centre.
Mam pytanie.I have a question.
Poniedziałek to trudny dzień.Monday is a hard day.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
The stroke on ó looks like a stress mark, as in Spanish, so Kraków gets said “kra-KOV”. But ó is just a u sound, and the stress is where it always is: KRA-koof. When an ending is added, the ó usually becomes an o — and the stress moves onto exactly that syllable: w Krakowie.
Quick check
A warm-up: 2 questions, answered straight away. They do not count towards your progress.
Practise
8 exercises on this topic. Your answers are checked in the browser; none of them leaves your device.
Now write it yourself6 sentences on this topic, typed and checked instantly.
Well done
How well do you know this topic?
This is filled in automatically after you practise. You can change it here at any time.
Next on the path: 6 · Voiced and voiceless: chleb sounds like “chlep”Back to the learning path
The full explanation
Read it all · about 1 min
In Polish the stress almost always falls on the penultimate syllable, the second from the end: Polska(POL-ska)Warszawa(var-SHA-va)herbata(her-BA-ta) After English, where stress has to be learnt word by word (PHOtograph, phoTOgraphy), this is a gift: count the syllables from the end, and each syllable has exactly one vowel. An i before a vowel does not count, because it only marks a soft sound: Kasia has two syllables (KA-sia).
Because the rule counts from the end, the stress moves as soon as an ending adds a syllable: student (STU-dent), but studenta (stu-DEN-ta); Kraków (KRA-koof), but w Krakowie (kra-KO-vie).
There are few exceptions. Many words in -yka and -ika from Greek and Latin are stressed on the third syllable from the end: muzyka(MU-zy-ka)matematyka(ma-te-MA-ty-ka) Add a few past-tense forms you will learn later. And one more thing English speakers need to hear: unstressed vowels keep their full value. English reduces them to a vague “uh” — the a’s in “banana” — but every a in Warszawa is a clear a.
Worth knowing1
Worth knowing
Stress counts from the end, not from the root
English keeps stress on its own syllable or moves it unpredictably. Polish only counts from the end: praca(PRA-tsa)pracownik(pra-TSOV-nik) A name such as Agnieszka is ag-NYESH-ka, never AG-nieszka.
Agnieszka ma nową pracę.Agnieszka has a new job.
The verbs on this page, in every form: być · mieszkać · jechać · lubić · pić