A1 · Alphabet and pronunciation · about 7 minutes
The nasal vowels ą and ę
vowels through the nose
Two vowels said through the nose — which turn into “om” or “en” before some sounds.
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“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 need20
They appear in this topic’s examples and exercises and are new at this point on the learning path.
- pracawork; job
- myćto wash; to do (the dishes)
- ząbtooth
- mądrywise, clever
- bolećto hurt, to ache
- rękahand; arm
- jeśćto eat
- mięsomeat
- poprosićto ask (for)
- kawacoffee
- mlekomilk
- pićto drink
- cytrynalemon
- sobotaSaturday
- pięćfive
- minutaminute
- mąkaflour
- cukiersugar
- prosićto ask (for), to request
- dzieckochild
Understand
Rememberą and ę are often endings: you barely hear them, but you always write them.
- Signal words
- ą
- ę
The form
How it is written and said
Each row gives the rule first, then examples in Polish that show it.
| ą at the end: nasal o | są, idą, z mamą |
| ę at the end: mostly like e | idę, kawę, proszę |
| before p and b: om, em | dąb, zęby |
| before t and d: on, en | kąt, mądry, będę |
| before k and g: like ng in “song” | ręka, mąka |
| before s, z, sz, w: fully nasal | mięso, gęś, wąsy |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is about
At the end of a word ą sounds nasal and ę mostly like a plain e.
Oni są w domu, a ja idę do pracy.They are at home, and I am going to work.
Before p and b the nasal sounds like “om” or “em”.
Myję zęby.I am brushing my teeth.
Before t and d it sounds like “on” or “en”.
Ten chłopak jest mądry.This boy is clever.
Before k and g it sounds like ng in “song”.
Boli mnie ręka.My hand hurts.
Before s, z, sz and w the vowel stays fully nasal.
Nie jem mięsa.I don’t eat meat.
Example sentences
Poproszę kawę z mlekiem.A coffee with milk, please.
Piotr pije herbatę z cytryną.Piotr drinks tea with lemon.
W sobotę będę w domu.On Saturday I’ll be at home.
6 more example sentences
Mam pięć minut.I have five minutes.
To jest mąka, nie cukier.This is flour, not sugar.
Dziękuję bardzo!Thank you very much!
Dzieci idą do szkoły.The children are going to school.
Proszę usiąść.Please sit down.
Jem kanapkę z szynką.I am eating a ham sandwich.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
Because you can hardly hear a final ę, it is tempting to write an e — and an a for ą, because the key is missing. That changes the grammar: idę means “I am going”, a word “ide” does not exist, and kawa, kawę and kawą are three different forms. Always write the hook, even when you barely say it.
Quick check
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Practise
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The full explanation
Read it all · about 1 min
ą is a nasal o and ę a nasal e, roughly as in French “bon” and “vin”. English has no such vowels as separate sounds; you say the vowel and let air out through the nose at the same time. How much you do that depends on what follows.
Before s, sz, z, ż, w, f and ch the vowel stays fully nasal: mięso, gęś. Before a stop it turns into a vowel plus an n or m sound: before p and b an “om” or “em” (zęby sounds like “zemby”), before t and d an “on” or “en” (mądry like “mondry”), before k and g an “ong” or “eng” as in “song” (ręka).
At the end of a word ą stays nasal: są, idą. A final ę is said by most people in everyday speech like a plain e: idę sounds almost like “ideh”. It is still written, because at the end of a word it is usually an ending that means something: kawa (coffee, as subject), kawę (coffee, as object), z kawą (with coffee).
Worth knowing2
Worth knowing
Sounds English does not have
If you can say “restaurant” or “croissant” the French way, you nearly have ą. For a start it is enough to say an m before b and p, an n before t and d, and an ng before k and g.
Mój dziadek ma zęby jak młody chłopak.My grandfather has teeth like a young man.
Worth knowing
Before l and ł the nasal disappears
Before l and ł you say ę as e and ą as o. This mostly affects past-tense forms you will learn later: in wzięła the ę sounds like a plain e.
Ania wzięła parasol.Ania took the umbrella.
The verbs on this page, in every form: być · mieć · iść · pić · jeść · boleć · myć