Easy Learning Polish (Collins Easy Learning Audio Course)

I come across a lot of Polish people in my job and thought it might be nice to be able to speak a few words to them in their own language. I'm really struggling with this product though and have to agree that the lack of any phonetic pronunciation guide lets this Audio Course down. A lot of people are visual learners and listening to a CD without a booklet where the words are written down phoneticaly is hard. I struggle to follow the booklet provided as the proper spellings can be so different to how I hear the word.

Good phrasebook stuff, but felt naked without a book (0/0 people found this helpful)

All quite good fun, and non-patronising, it has the poor plinky-plonky music you would expect and the odd slightly cringey librarian's joke "so you want to say good day - dzin dobre - pretend you want to start your day with a gin - not a good idea" etc. But it's friendly and accessible, and doubtless very useful as a phrase book, though I haven't found a Pole to try out my new-found skills.

The only issue is the lack of written confirmation of your pronunciation, so, taking a simple word like 'sir' - I couldn't tell from the female narrator whether it was pronounced paNi or paNGi. For my level of language I suspect it won't much matter; and it's good fun driving along learning Polish with your toddler in any case.

Easy and fun (0/0 people found this helpful)

A really enjoyable way to learn the basics before travelling. I had heard that Polish was really hard to learn - particularly the pronunciation - but I have enjoyed this audio course, and not found it difficult at all. I have spent quite a few hilarious journeys to work in the car, playing the CDs and practising my Polish pronunciation. Makes the journey fly!
Recommended.

Good but restricted. (0/0 people found this helpful)

This course is presented on 3 CDs with the option to transfer the tracks to your chosen MP3 player. This makes it very portable but it still relies on the A6-sized 48-page booklet (of which only 40 pages are useful) as a visual guide to phrases.

There is no phonetic guide to pronunciation and to be honest, the narrators, while pleasant and helpful, are no substitute for phonetic aide-memoires.

I wouldn't class this as a course to learn fluent Polish. And it's restricted in what it offers a casual tourist. I found one reference to "How much is it?" and nothing about weights or measures. There is help for numbers by `spelling' out prices or telephone / room numbers.

There's a section on making appointments. Why? If I became that ill in Poland, I wouldn't be making an appointment to see a doctor or a dentist; I'd be off to the hospital. Unit 11 is effectively redundant so only 37 pages were useful to me.

Ten minutes a day is sufficient to learn what you need. It IS a tough language to learn (I speak Spanish and French already) and you don't want to overdo it and lose heart. It's more of a listen, learn, repeat course than being able to follow it accurately in a book.

I've photocopied the book to take it with me when I use my iPod so that I don't lose the original.

I felt 3 stars were too low and as there are no half measures I had to give it 4 stars.

Do widzenia!

Polite Polish (0/0 people found this helpful)

I have travelled and worked in a few countries and Collins has provided just the basics you would need to start a polite conversation. And for most encounters this is an ice breaker. True the 3 CD's will not teach you Polish but that was never their aim, they are an icebreaker and an introduction and at the best of times will help you manage yourself through a basic transaction.

Thing is that is just what they aim at and try to accompish so in this regard they achive what they aim for "The easiest way to start learning Polish" - No more is promised and on this they deliver.

I give them 5 stars, not because you will know Polish but because they are the best CD's of their kind. I have a few other similar CD's like Learn French in your Car etc but I find this of better quality. There is a booklet with each chapter and this will help you along very well and each chapter is very well thought out and instantly sets you into conversation. Also each chapter is broken up into very manageable 8 - 10 minutes.

Be warned though, buying the CD's won't help a bit, you will need time to study :)

Easy Learning Polish (Collins Easy Learning Audio Course)

Hania Forss

Reader Reviews:

Not very easy to learn Polish. (0/0 people found this helpful)

Good phrasebook stuff, but felt naked without a book (0/0 people found this helpful)

Easy and fun (0/0 people found this helpful)

Good but restricted. (0/0 people found this helpful)

Polite Polish (0/0 people found this helpful)

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