Polish and Slovak: 36 words that are the same
Among the two thousand words each language uses most, these are written identically and carry the same meaning in both. If you have one of the two, this is the part you do not have to learn.
A shared word is not proof of a shared root. Two languages can land on the same spelling by borrowing from a third — that is all tren and bomba are — and a word that looks the same can still be said quite differently. What this list is good for is the head start.
| Word | In English | Polish | Slovak |
|---|---|---|---|
| na/ˈna/ | on | #5 | #7 |
| ipl /i/sk /ˈiː/ | and | #6 | #224 |
| typl /ˈtɘ/sk /ti/ | you | #32 | #28 |
| terazpl /ˈtɛ.ras/sk /teras/ | now | #44 | #37 |
| tampl /ˈtam/sk /tam/ | there | #51 | #34 |
| onpl /ˈɔn/sk /ɔn/ | he, it | #59 | #88 |
| domupl /ˈdɔ.mu/sk /dɔmu/ | house | #98 | #338 |
| jepl /ˈjɛ/sk /je/ | to be | #112 | #3 |
| chcepl /ˈxt͡sɛ/sk /xt͡se/ | to want | #129 | #161 |
| jedenpl /ˈjɛ.dɛn/sk /jeden/ | one | #192 | #120 |
| rokupl /ˈrɔ.ku/sk /rɔku/ | year | #348 | #417 |
| dompl /ˈdɔm/sk /dɔm/ | house | #353 | #270 |
| nocpl /ˈnɔt͡s/sk /nɔt͡s/ | night, nighttime | #394 | #163 |
| jednopl /ˈjɛd.nɔ/sk /jednɔ/ | one | #421 | #221 |
| matkapl /ˈmat.ka/sk /matka/ | mother | #453 | #260 |
| jednapl /ˈjɛd.na/sk /jedna/ | one | #463 | #223 |
| synpl /ˈsɘn/sk /sin/ | son | #606 | #316 |
| synapl /ˈsɘ.na/sk /sina/ | son | #624 | #413 |
| bratpl /ˈbrat/sk /brat/ | brother | #657 | #321 |
| rokpl /ˈrɔk/sk /rɔk/ | year | #691 | #292 |
| robotapl /rɔˈbɔ.ta/sk /rɔbɔta/ | work | #695 | #1,520 |
| bratapl /ˈbra.ta/sk /ˈbrata/ | brother | #823 | #490 |
| jednejpl /ˈjɛd.nɛj/sk /jedɲej/ | one | #904 | #478 |
| synupl /ˈsɘ.nu/sk /sinu/ | son | #925 | #960 |
| osobapl /ɔˈsɔ.ba/sk /ɔsɔba/ | person | #1,055 | #552 |
| osobypl /ɔˈsɔ.bɘ/sk /ˈɔ.sɔ.bi/ | person | #1,085 | #1,239 |
| listpl /ˈlist/sk /ʎist/ | letter | #1,140 | #568 |
| dnapl /ˈdna/sk /dna/ | gout | #1,194 | #654 |
| okopl /ˈɔ.kɔ/sk /ɔkɔ/ | eye | #1,278 | #838 |
| psapl /ˈpsa/sk /psa/ | dog | #1,317 | #678 |
| programpl /ˈprɔ.ɡram/sk /prɔɡram/ | program | #1,336 | #733 |
| oknopl /ˈɔk.nɔ/sk /ˈɔknɔ/ | window | #1,646 | #817 |
| dobrejpl /ˈdɔ.brɛj/sk /dɔbrej/ | good | #1,703 | #1,220 |
| bankupl /ˈbaŋ.ku/sk /ˈbaŋku/ | bank | #1,770 | #1,775 |
| jazdapl /ˈjaz.da/sk /jazda/ | ride | #1,885 | #1,525 |
| dokumentypl /dɔ.kuˈmɛn.tɘ/sk /ˈdokuˌmenti/ | document | #1,992 | #1,305 |
The speaker plays the voice the LangX app uses for that language — synthesised, not a native speaker, so treat it as a guide.
The overlap is the easy part.
The rest comes from using it with someone who speaks it.