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Pronunciation

How to pronounce rz and ż in Polish

rz and ż are the same sound with different spelling. It’s a soft “zh”, not “r-zh” and not a hard English “zh”.

rz

Typical mistake

rz is often read literally as “r” + “zh”. In rzeczy you get “rzheczy” — a Pole won’t understand.

How to make the sound

  1. 01Say “zh” as in “measure”, but shorter and without force.
  2. 02Keep the tongue closer to the palate than in a hard “zh”.
  3. 03Remember: żaba and rzeka start with the same sound — “zh”.

Practice words

  • rzeczy

    things

  • przepraszam

    sorry / excuse me

  • żaba

    frog

  • mórz

    of seas (gen. pl.)

Questions

How do I know whether to write rz or ż?
The spelling is historical — it doesn’t change pronunciation. In practice the sound matters, not the letter.

See also

Next — topical phrases: Phrases

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How to pronounce rz and ż in Polish | MiAcento