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| Phoneme | Spelling | Examples | Pronunciation | Translation | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liquid sonants | |||||
| /r/ | r | krowa | /krova/ | cow | Rolled as in Italian or Russian. |
| /l/ | l | lalka | /lalka/ | doll | Always “light” as in British “low”. |
| Nasal sonants | |||||
| /m/ | m | mysz | /myš/ | mouse | Like English “m”. Before “f”, “w” it changes into /w̃/. It is also the second element of “ę”, “ą” before labial stops: /p, b/. |
| ę /em/ | sęp | /semp/ | vulture | ||
| głęboki | /gwemboḱi/ | deep | |||
| ą /om/ | kąpiel | /komp′el/ | bath, tub | ||
| trąba | /tromba/ | trumpet; trunk | |||
| /n/ | n | nos | /nos/ | nose | Like English “n”, but dental (not alveolar). Before spirants and “r” it changes into /w̃/, before /i, ′, ć, ʒ́, j/ – into /ń/. Before /č, ǯ/ it becomes alveolar. |
| poncz | /ponč/ | punch; toddy | |||
| kindżał | /ḱinǯaw/ | a sort of dagger | |||
| szynki | /šynḱi/ | of ham (Gen.sg.) | It changes before prevelar /ḱ, ǵ/ and velar /k, g/ into /ŋ́/ or /ŋ/ respectively, but only in some loanwords. Elsewhere it preserves its dental articulation. | ||
| ongiś | /onǵiś/ | of yore | |||
| szynka | /šynka/ | ham | |||
| dyngus | /dyngus/ | a custom of Easter | |||
| ę /en/ | pręt | /prent/ | rod | It is also the second element of “ę”, “ą” before dental stops: /t, d/ and affricates: /c, ʒ/ or alveolar affricates /č, ǯ/ (then with alveolar articulation). | |
| grzęda | /gženda/ | roost | |||
| ręce | /rence/ | hands | |||
| nędza | /nenʒa/ | extreme poverty | |||
| pęczek | /penček/ | bunch, tuft | |||
| poręczże | /porenǯže/ | do stand surety! | |||
| ą /on/ | kąt | /kont/ | angle | ||
| mądry | /mondry/ | wise | |||
| chcąc | /xconc/ | wanting | |||
| żądza | /žonʒa/ | lust | |||
| pączek | /ponček/ | bud; doughnut | |||
| połączże | /powonǯže/ | do connect! | |||
| /ń/ | ń | słoń | /swoń/ | elephant | Postdental, palatalized nasal. It resembles “n” in “onion” a lttle. It may stand word-finally or before a consonant – then we write “ń”. If it is before a vowel, the spelling is “ni”. Before “i” – alone “n” is sufficient. |
| słońce | /swońce/ | sun | |||
| ni | niańka | /ńańka/ | nanny, nurse | ||
| n | nić | /ńić/ | thread | ||
| kanciasty | /kańćasty/ | sharp-edged | The spelling “n” (in loanwords – some of them are pretty assimilated) is also before /ć, ʒ́/ (“ci”, “dzi”). | ||
| Andzia | /ańʒ́a/ | Angie | |||
| ę /eń/ | zięć | /źeńć/ | son-in-law | It is also the second element of “ę”, “ą” before postdental affricates: /ć, ʒ́/. | |
| będzie | /beńʒ́e/ | it will be | |||
| ą /oń/ | wziąć | /vźońć/ | take | ||
| kądziel | /końʒ́el/ | distaff | |||
| /ŋ́/ | n | bankier | /baŋ́ḱer/ | banker | Prevelar (palatalized) variant of /ŋ/, only before prevelar stops /ḱ, ǵ/. It is spelt “n” in loanwords only (in native words the “n” preserves its dental articulation in similar position). |
| songi | /soŋ́ǵi/ | sailor’s songs | |||
| ę /eŋ́/ | ręki | /reŋ́ḱi/ | of the hand | ||
| węgiel | /veŋ́ǵel/ | coal | |||
| ą /oŋ́/ | pąki | /poŋ́ḱi/ | buds | ||
| sągi | /soŋ́ǵi/ | cords of wood | |||
| /ŋ/ | n | bank | /baŋk/ | bank | Velar nasal as “ng” in English “sing” or “n” in “sink”, only before velars. Spelt “n” in loanwords, /g/ preserves. |
| Anglik | /aŋglik/ | Englishman | |||
| ę /eŋ/ | ręka | /reŋka/ | hand, arm | It is also the second element of “ę”, “ą” before velar stops: /k, g/. | |
| sięgać | /śeŋgać/ | reach | |||
| ą /oŋ/ | pąk | /poŋk/ | bud | ||
| ciągnąć | /ćoŋgnońć/ | pull, drag | |||
2009-02-04