Polish · Difficult words
How to pronounce wąż in Polish
wąż
Snake
Standard Polish · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
wąż is pronounced /ˈvɔw̃ʂ/ in Polish. In wąż: Keep the tongue tip slightly farther back for the sounds /ʂ, ʐ/ and their affricates. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
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Find the sounds in wąż
The reference transcription for wąż is /ˈvɔw̃ʂ/. Read adjacent consonants together without inserting extra vowels. The mark /ˈ/ comes immediately before the main stressed syllable. Give that syllable a little more prominence without swallowing the others.
1.Hard hushing consonants
In wąż: Keep the tongue tip slightly farther back for the sounds /ʂ, ʐ/ and their affricates.
Watch out: Do not collapse the hard and soft Polish consonant series into one English sh sound.
2.The ł sound /w/
In wąż: 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 wąż: 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
Wąż jest pod kamieniem.
The snake is under the stone.
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
wąż 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 wąż
How do you pronounce wąż?
wąż is pronounced /ˈvɔw̃ʂ/ in Polish. In wąż: Keep the tongue tip slightly farther back for the sounds /ʂ, ʐ/ and their affricates. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
What should I listen for first?
In wąż: Keep the tongue tip slightly farther back for the sounds /ʂ, ʐ/ and their affricates. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.
