Polish vocabulary

Learn Polish vocabulary
that sticks.

A deep Polish dictionary with one-tap flashcards and spaced repetition. Save the words you meet while reading, studying, or working in Polish — and review them right before you'd forget.

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Free · No account required · Works offline

How it works

Look up, save, review.

No setup.

Look it up.

Search any Polish word — including inflected forms, aspects, and derivatives. Every meaning it carries, with CEFR level and example sentence.

Save the meaning you met.

One tap, no typing. That exact meaning becomes a flashcard.

Review before you forget.

Spaced repetition brings each word back at the right moment. Five card formats so the word sets from every angle.

zamek

NOUN · 4 SENSES

zamknąćzamkniętyzameczek

A2 a large medieval building or group of buildings fortified against attack noun

A large medieval building or group of buildings fortified against attack.

Wawel to słynny zamek w Krakowie.

A2 a device for fastening a door or container, typically operated by a key noun

A device for fastening a door or container, typically operated by a key.

Klucz nie pasuje do tego zamka.

A2 a fastener with two rows of teeth closed or opened by sliding a tab; a zip noun

A fastener with two rows of teeth closed or opened by sliding a tab; a zip.

Zsuń zamek w kurtce, bo jest zimno.

B1 the locking mechanism of a firearm noun

The locking mechanism of a firearm.

Zamek strzelby był zardzewiały.

Polish vocabulary research

How many Polish words do you actually need?

Vocabulary researchers measure Polish word size in word families — a root word and its inflected and derived forms. Polish is a highly inflected language, so a single family can include many surface forms.

The jump from B1 to B2 in Polish means roughly 2,000 more word families. With consistent daily review, that's about a year — if you don't forget what you've already learned.

~500

~1,000

~2,000

~4,000

~8,000

~16,000

Polish for English speakers

The challenge: Polish and English don't share roots.

Polish is a Slavic language — a completely different branch from English. There are no shared Germanic roots to lean on. However, thousands of Latin, French, and English loanwords have entered Polish, and many of those are immediately readable.

The core Slavic vocabulary has no English parallel. You'll meet it constantly — and look it up repeatedly — until you build a system for retaining it.

International words — readable from day one

komputer

computer

telefon

telephone

problem

student

hotel

muzyka

music

film

sport

park

centrum

centre

kultura

culture

forma

form

The core Slavic vocabulary has no English parallel. You'll meet it constantly — and look it up repeatedly — until you build a system for retaining it.

For the Polish you actually need.

Whether you're a heritage speaker reconnecting with the language, preparing for a Polish certificate, or working in a Polish environment — OpenWords turns every word you look up into a flashcard at the moment you look it up.

Heritage speakers reconnecting with the language

Polish language certificate (B1/B2) candidates

Work, family, or immersion learners

Advanced readers building precise, active vocabulary

FAQ

Polish vocabulary questions

What's the best way to learn Polish vocabulary?

Immerse yourself in real Polish — books, podcasts, films — and save every unknown word at the moment you look it up. With spaced repetition, each word comes back at the right moment before you'd forget it.

Does it help with Polish language certificates?

Yes. Entries include CEFR levels, so you can target B1 or B2 vocabulary specifically. The certificate exams test active vocabulary use — OpenWords helps you build and retain that.

Can I study Polish vocabulary offline?

Review works offline — once a word is saved, you can study it anywhere. Looking up new words needs internet.

Is Polish hard for English speakers?

The grammar is complex, but vocabulary-building is the most time-intensive part. Polish has thousands of international loanwords you'll recognise immediately, and OpenWords helps you systematically build the core Slavic vocabulary that has no English parallel.

Is OpenWords free?

Yes. No subscriptions, no paywalls. Free to download, free to use, no account required.

How is OpenWords different from other Polish vocabulary apps?

Most Polish apps use preset word lists. OpenWords starts from the dictionary: you save the Polish words you actually meet, in the exact meaning they appeared in, and review them with spaced repetition.

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