Polish · Difficult words
How to pronounce kościół in Polish
kościół
Church
Standard Polish · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
kościół is pronounced /ˈkɔɕ.t͡ɕuw/ in Polish. In kościół: Raise the middle of the tongue close to the hard palate. The symbols /ɕ, ʑ/ and their affricates are the softer Polish hushing sounds. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
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Find the sounds in kościół
Read kościół in these IPA segments: ˈkɔɕ · t͡ɕuw. Dots and stress marks identify the boundaries shown in the reference; these symbols are not English spelling. The mark /ˈ/ comes immediately before the main stressed syllable. Give that syllable a little more prominence without swallowing the others.
1.Soft hushing consonants
In kościół: Raise the middle of the tongue close to the hard palate. The symbols /ɕ, ʑ/ and their affricates are the softer Polish hushing sounds.
Watch out: Keep these distinct from the harder sz/ż/cz/dż series.
2.The ł sound /w/
In kościół: Round the lips briefly for a w-like glide and connect it to the following sound.
Watch out: Modern Polish ł is normally not an English l.
3.The open /ɔ/ vowel
In kościół: Round the lips and keep a relatively open jaw. Sustain one vowel rather than moving toward a w sound.
Watch out: English “oh” often moves during the vowel; follow the steadier sound in the recording.
Hear it in context
Kościół jest otwarty.
The church is open.
Listen once, say it aloud, then replay at 1.00×. Keep the word connected to the surrounding sentence rather than giving every syllable equal weight.
Pronunciation and variety
kościół is presented using Standard Polish. Regional accents and connected speech can change details. The isolated word and the example let you compare the dictionary form with a short spoken context.
The English-style respelling is approximate. Use the IPA and recording together for vowel quality and consonants that do not have an exact English equivalent.
Meaning and everyday use
Questions about kościół
How do you pronounce kościół?
kościół is pronounced /ˈkɔɕ.t͡ɕuw/ in Polish. In kościół: Raise the middle of the tongue close to the hard palate. The symbols /ɕ, ʑ/ and their affricates are the softer Polish hushing sounds. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
What should I listen for first?
In kościół: Raise the middle of the tongue close to the hard palate. The symbols /ɕ, ʑ/ and their affricates are the softer Polish hushing sounds. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.
