l’, m’, p’, w’.—Originally these letters were thus marked when at the end of words, and although the marks are no longer employed, we must remember that the letters have always a softened sound when in that position. The same rule applies to the letters ć, dź, ń, ś, ź, which, however, are still used thus marked. The pronunciation can only be learned from a native; in fact, as regards phonological subtleties, Polish is one of the most remarkable languages of Europe.
The accent is on the penultimate, except in some compound words. Syllables at the end of words, as że, li, by and to (frequently added to strengthen the pronouns), do not affect the word, which is then of course accented on the antepenult, as jakoby.
The sounds of the Polish language may be grouped as hard and soft. I have placed opposite to the hard sounds those into which they are changed in the various modifications of words by declension, conjugation, &c.
| hard. | soft. | hard. | soft. | |
| b | b’ | m | m’ | |
| d | dz’ | n | n’ | |
| f | p | p’ | ||
| g | ż, dz | r | rz | |
| h | s | ś | ||
| ch | sz, | t | c, ć | |
| j | w | w’ | ||
| k | c, cz | x | ||
| ł | l | z | ź |
