Letter
How to pronounce Polish letter «y» [ɨ]
y
IPA[ɨ]
Vowel [ɨ] between “ee” and “ih”. Do not merge with i: syn ≠ sin.
How to shape the sound
Front, slightly retracted high vowel: lips stretched as in a smile, a narrow gap between them, tongue tip down behind the lower teeth.
Common trap
It merges with [i], and word contrasts disappear. The difference between [i] and [y] is hard to see from the outside, so it is easier to hold via lip shape.
How to fix it
Stretch the lip corners more than for [i].
Practice words
Pick a teacher — the word plays in their voice · Mirosław
syn
son
Focus on pronunciation «y»
byk
bull
Focus on pronunciation «y»
cytryny
lemons
Focus on pronunciation «y»