Both vowels are pronounced the same. It means the difference between them is purely orthographic. Students do not like them because of the spelling errors they cause (and because of the bad marks as a consequence).<\/p>\n
The character \u00f3<\/strong> is named “u\u201d kreskowane<\/strong> (more often) or “o\u201d kreskowane<\/strong> in Polish.<\/p>\n The vowel u<\/strong> (spelt u or \u00f3) is short (like all Polish vowels), but it resembles long English u in Luke. It sounds like Spanish or Italian u<\/strong> or like French ou<\/strong> but it is less intensive.<\/p>\n Here are some examples:<\/p>\n tu<\/strong> \u2018here\u2019, but<\/strong> \u2018shoe, boot\u2019 , B\u00f3g<\/strong> \u2018God\u2019 ([buk]), Bug<\/strong> (name of a river in the eastern part of Poland), buk<\/strong> – type of tree, m\u00f3j<\/strong> \u2018my, mine\u2019, kogut<\/strong> \u2018cock, rooster\u2019, usta<\/strong> \u2018mouth\u2019, wnuk<\/strong> \u2018grandson\u2019.<\/p>\n Have you noticed that B\u00f3g, Bug, buk are homophones? It means the three words are pronounced in the same way, as [buk].<\/p>\n The sounds \u0142 and u\/\u00f3 like being together. In those instances you should read them very carefully. Try to say: \u0142uk<\/strong> \u2018bow, curve, arc, arch\u2019, st\u00f3\u0142<\/strong> \u2018table\u2019, mu\u0142<\/strong> \u2018mule\u2019 and also mu\u0142<\/strong> \u2018slime, mud, silt, sludge\u2019, d\u0142ug<\/strong> \u2018debt, obligation\u2019 ([d\u0142uk]), d\u0142ugo<\/strong> \u2018long, for a long time\u2019, s\u0142\u00f3j<\/strong> \u2018jar, pot\u2019, g\u0142\u00f3wka<\/strong> \u2018small head\u2019 (read [g\u0142ufka], diminutive to g\u0142owa \u2018head\u2019), tu\u0142\u00f3w<\/strong> \u2018trunk, torso\u2019.<\/p>\n The “\u00f3” is used if the different forms of the word switch between “o” and “\u00f3”, for example please compare “s\u00f3l” (salt) and “solny” (of salt),<\/p>\n If on the other hand the word, in all its forms, keeps the letter “u”, like “drut” (wire) and “druciany” (of wire) then we write it always a “u”.<\/p>\n To make things easier, the kids in school learn that “uje si\u0119 nie kreskuje”<\/strong> (no apostrophe if the word ends on “uje”), thus learning a general rule that words like “pracuje” (he works) are always to be spelled with “u”.<\/p>\n Although there are some general principles you can follow when spelling, unfortunately, there is a number of exceptions that you only must learn by heart.<\/p>\n Do nast<\/strong>\u0119pnego razu… <\/strong>(Till next time…)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Both vowels are pronounced the same. It means the difference between them is purely orthographic. Students do not like them because of the spelling errors they cause (and because of the bad marks as a consequence). The character \u00f3 is named “u\u201d kreskowane (more often) or “o\u201d kreskowane in Polish. The vowel u (spelt u…<\/p>\n