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Digraph

How to pronounce Polish «ni» [ɲ]

ni

IPA[ɲ]

Before a vowel soft ń is spelled ni: niebo = ń + e.

How to shape the sound

A mid-tongue nasal [ɲ], close to Spanish ñ or the “ny” in canyon: the middle of the tongue moves toward the hard palate.

Common trap

East Slavic speakers usually find this easy: a similar soft nasal exists in their native language, so there is little to relearn here.

How to fix it

Just avoid turning ń into a hard dental n: dzień, koń, słońce, pani.

Practice words

Pick a teacher — the word plays in their voice · Mirosław

  • niebo

    sky

    Focus on pronunciation «ni»

    ListenPractice
  • konik

    pony

    Focus on pronunciation «ni»

    ListenPractice
  • pani

    madam

    Focus on pronunciation «ni»

    ListenPractice
How to pronounce Polish «ni» [ɲ] | Jak Polak