Wet or Vet? Polish 'W' Isn't English 'W'
The letter 'w' does a completely different job in Polish than it does in English - and that mismatch sneaks into your speech.
In Polish, the letter 'w' represents a sound close to English 'v,' so when Polish speakers see an English word spelled with 'w,' their mouth can default to the Polish habit and produce something closer to 'v' instead - turning 'wet' into 'vet' or 'west' into 'vest.' This kind of consonant substitution driven by native sound-letter habits is a well-documented source of accent in Polish speakers of English. The fix is in your lips: English 'w' starts with rounded, pushed-forward lips (like starting to whistle) and no teeth contact, while 'v' needs your top teeth touching your bottom lip. Try 'wet/vet,' 'west/vest,' 'wine/vine.' Today, practice starting each 'w' word with exaggerated lip-rounding, checking in a mirror that your teeth never touch your lip. This small visual check builds the new habit fast. You're retraining just one movement - and it makes a real difference!
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Sources (1)
- Towards a near-native speaker’s pronunciation: The most challenging aspects of English pronunciation for Polish learners and ways of dealing with them: The consonants — Zbigniew Czaja, 2019
- Polish learners frequently commit notorious consonant substitutions that lead to mispronunciation rather than just confusion.
- Errors in consonant production are identified as a primary source of foreign accent among Polish speakers.
- The study suggests that professional English teachers and interpreters must prioritize consonant training to facilitate better communication quality.